Book vs. Novel — What's the Difference?

A set of written or printed pages bound together.

A work of fiction detailing characters and plot.

A source of knowledge or information.

A lengthy fictional prose narrative.

A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical arrangement is codex (plural, codices).

An original or unique work of fiction.

A written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers

A book telling a story set in an imaginary world.

A bound set of blank sheets for writing in

A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the Italian: novella for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself from the Latin: novella, a singular noun use of the neuter plural of novellus, diminutive of novus, meaning "new".Some novelists, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Ann Radcliffe, John Cowper Powys, preferred the term "romance" to describe their novels.

A set of tickets, stamps, matches, samples of cloth, etc., bound together

A fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters.

Reserve (accommodation, a place, etc.); buy (a ticket) in advance

The literary genre represented by novels.

Make an official note of the personal details of (a person who has broken a law or rule)

Strikingly new, unusual, or different.

Leave suddenly

Newly made, formed or evolved; having no precedent; of recent origin; new.

A set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers.

Original, especially in an interesting way; new and striking; not of the typical or ordinary type.

An e-book or other electronic resource structured like a book.

A work of prose fiction, longer than a novella.

A printed or written literary work

(historical) A fable; a short tale, especially one of many making up a larger work.

A main division of a larger printed or written work

(obsolete) A novelty; something new.

A volume in which financial or business transactions are recorded.

A new legal constitution in ancient Rome.

Books Financial or business records considered as a group

Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient; new; hence, out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising.

A libretto.

That which is new or unusual; a novelty.

The script of a play.

News; fresh tidings.

The Bible.

A fictitious tale or narrative, longer than a short story, having some degree of complexity and development of characters; it is usually organized as a time sequence of events, and is commonly intended to exhibit the operation of the passions, and often of love.

The Koran.

A extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story

A set of prescribed standards or rules on which decisions are based

A printed and bound book that is an extended work of fiction;

Something regarded as a source of knowledge or understanding.

Of a kind not seen before;

The total amount of experience, knowledge, understanding, and skill that can be used in solving a problem or performing a task

Pleasantly novel or different;

(Informal) Factual information, especially of a private nature

A literary composition distinct from short stories.

A pack of like or similar items bound together

A record of bets placed on a race.

(Games) The number of card tricks needed before any tricks can have scoring value, as the first six tricks taken by the declaring side in bridge.

To arrange for or purchase (tickets or lodgings, for example) in advance; reserve.

To arrange a reservation, as for a hotel room, for (someone)

To hire or engage

To list or register in a book

To list or record appointments or engagements in

To record information about (a suspected offender) after arrest in preparation for arraignment, usually including a criminal history search, fingerprinting, and photographing.

(Sports) To record the flagrant fouls of (a player) for possible disciplinary action, as in soccer.

To designate a time for; schedule

To be hired for or engaged in

To make a reservation

(Informal) To move or travel rapidly

Of or relating to knowledge learned from books rather than actual experience

Appearing in a company's financial records

A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc.

A long work fit for publication, typically prose, such as a novel or textbook, and typically published as such a bound collection of sheets, but now sometimes electronically as an e-book.

A major division of a long work.

(gambling) A record of betting (from the use of a notebook to record what each person has bet).

(informal) A bookmaker (a person who takes bets on sporting events and similar); bookie; turf accountant.

A convenient collection, in a form resembling a book, of small paper items for individual use.

(theatre) The script of a musical or opera.

Records of the accounts of a business.

A book award, a recognition for receiving the highest grade in a class (traditionally an actual book, but recently more likely a letter or certificate acknowledging the achievement).

(whist) Six tricks taken by one side.

(poker slang) Four of a kind.

(sports) A document, held by the referee, of the incidents happened in the game.

A list of all players who have been booked (received a warning) in a game.

(cartomancy) The twenty-sixth Lenormand card.

(figurative) Any source of instruction.

(with "the") The accumulated body of knowledge passed down among black pimps.

A portfolio of one's previous work in the industry.

(transitive) To reserve (something) for future use.

(transitive) To write down, to register or record in a book or as in a book.

(transitive) To add a name to the list of people who are participating in something.

To record the name and other details of a suspected offender and the offence for later judicial action.

(sports) To issue a caution to, usually a yellow card, or a red card if a yellow card has already been issued.

To travel very fast.

To record bets as bookmaker.

To receive the highest grade in a class.

To leave.

A collection of sheets of paper, or similar material, blank, written, or printed, bound together; commonly, many folded and bound sheets containing continuous printing or writing.

A composition, written or printed; a treatise.

A part or subdivision of a treatise or literary work; as, the tenth book of "Paradise Lost."

A volume or collection of sheets in which accounts are kept; a register of debts and credits, receipts and expenditures, etc.; - often used in the plural; as, they got a subpoena to examine our books.

Six tricks taken by one side, in the game of bridge or whist, being the minimum number of tricks that must be taken before any additional tricks are counted as part of the score for that hand; in certain other games, two or more corresponding cards, forming a set.

A written version of a play or other dramatic composition; - used in preparing for a performance.

A set of paper objects (tickets, stamps, matches, checks etc.) bound together by one edge, like a book; as, he bought a book of stamps.

A book or list, actual or hypothetical, containing records of the best performances in some endeavor; a recordbook; - used in the phrase one for the book or one for the books.

The set of facts about an athlete's performance, such as typical performance or playing habits or methods, that are accumulated by potential opponents as an aid in deciding how best to compete against that athlete; as, the book on Ted Williams suggests pitching to him low and outside.

Same as book value.

The list of current buy and sell orders maintained by a stock market specialist.

The purchase orders still outstanding and unfilled on a company's ledger; as, book to bill ratio.

To enter, write, or register in a book or list.

To enter the name of (any one) in a book for the purpose of securing a passage, conveyance, or seat; to reserve{2}; also, to make an arrangement for a reservation; as, to be booked for Southampton; to book a seat in a theater; to book a reservation at a restaurant.

To mark out for; to destine or assign for; as, he is booked for the valedictory.

To make an official record of a charge against (a suspect in a crime); - performed by police.

A written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together);

Physical objects consisting of a number of pages bound together;

A record in which commercial accounts are recorded;

A number of sheets (ticket or stamps etc.) bound together on one edge;

A compilation of the known facts regarding something or someone;

A major division of a long written composition;

A written version of a play or other dramatic composition; used in preparing for a performance

A collection of rules or prescribed standards on the basis of which decisions are made;

The sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina

The sacred writings of the Christian religions;

Record a charge in a police register;

Arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance;

Engage for a performance;

Register in a hotel booker

A written work published in digital or print form.

A bound set of blank sheets for writing or recording.

A record-keeping document.

No, while every novel is a book, not every book is a novel.

A novel is a long fictional narrative with detailed characters, plot, and themes.

No, novels are specifically fictional.

While novels are typically longer, length alone doesn't define a novel. It's more about the narrative form.

Generally, yes, but context matters. In a broad sense, any written or printed work is a book.