graphic novel

/ˈɡræfɪk ˈnɑvəl/

Other forms: graphic novels

A graphic novel is a book that uses art to tell a long, complex story. If a mixture of illustrations and text is your favorite, you should check out the graphic novel section of your library.

Graphic novel was coined in 1964, but it wasn't until the 1970s that these illustrated stories started describing themselves that way. Although a novel is fictional by definition, graphic novels can be fiction, nonfiction, short stories, or even a collection of comics that's been assembled into a book. The writers and artists who create graphic novels often bristle at the term, preferring to call them comics.

Definitions of graphic novel

1. noun

   a work of fiction in comic-strip form published as a book