dime novel: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowHistorical, Literary
Quick answer
What does “dime novel” mean?
A cheap, sensational paperback book popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cheap, sensational paperback book popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States.
Now used as a historical term for that specific type of publication and as a metaphor for any form of storytelling (often pulp fiction, TV, or film) that is considered fast-produced, cheap, and sensational, lacking literary merit or depth.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The object itself is uniquely American. The term is understood in the UK but used almost exclusively in historical/cultural discussions of American literature. The UK had equivalent publications often called 'penny dreadfuls' or 'shilling shockers'.
Connotations
In the US, it has nostalgic, Americana connotations alongside its pejorative sense. In the UK, it is seen as a specific American cultural reference.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday British English; low in American English, mostly in historical or literary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “dime novel” in a Sentence
be dismissed as a ~be reminiscent of a ~publish/produce a ~collect ~sVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dime novel” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The film had a certain dime-novel charm in its over-the-top action.
American English
- His explanation was pure dime-novel fantasy, not based on any facts.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in literary studies, media studies, and cultural history to discuss popular fiction, pulp culture, and publishing history.
Everyday
Rarely used. Might appear in metaphors: 'That plot is straight out of a dime novel.'
Technical
Used by antiquarian booksellers, collectors of ephemera, and literary historians as a specific genre/category.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “dime novel”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “dime novel”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dime novel”
- Using it to refer to any short novel. Mispronouncing 'dime' as /dɪm/ or /diːm/. Using it as a contemporary genre label.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are very similar concepts from different countries. Dime novels are American, penny dreadfuls are British. Both were cheap, serialised sensational fiction for the masses in the 19th century.
Only metaphorically, to criticise it as being cheap, sensational, or poorly written. Literally, it refers to a specific historical format.
Because they originally cost ten cents (a dime) in the United States.
Some are, as collectible historical artifacts, especially in good condition or featuring notable early characters. However, most were printed on poor-quality paper and discarded, so surviving copies can be rare.
A cheap, sensational paperback book popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States.
Dime novel is usually historical, literary in register.
Dime novel: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdaɪm ˌnɒv.əl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdaɪm ˌnɑː.vəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “straight out of a dime novel”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DIME = 10 cents, NOVEL = book. Remember: a 'ten-cent book' — the ultimate cheap, mass-produced read of the past.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOW QUALITY IS CHEAP (A dime novel is cheap in price, therefore cheap in quality). ENTERTAINMENT IS A COMMODITY (Stories are mass-produced goods).
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'dime novel' primarily associated with?