Neuveté, or the exhumation of a stillborn neologism in the writing of Rétif de la Bretonne

Rétif’s penchant for neology is well known. This paper presents one of his neologisms, neuveté, and follows it over more than two centuries in order to question its origin and significance and to verify its utility and functioning in discourse. After this, the paper studies its occurrences in the Internet, especially in discussion forums, in order to see if it is in the process of entering common use and if it will become popular enough to be accepted into mainstream language dictionaries.