What is nihil novi?

Nihil Novi is a Latin term that means "nothing new." The term was coined in 1505 during the reign of King Sigismund I the Old in Poland, in response to the king's attempt to introduce a new law without the consent of the Sejm (Polish parliament). The Sejm responded by proclaiming that "nothing new" could be introduced without their approval, thus establishing the principle of parliamentary sovereignty. The term has since been used to refer to the idea that there is nothing truly new or original under the sun, and that all ideas and innovations are merely variations or adaptations of what has come before. It has also been used in literary and artistic contexts to describe works that are derivative or unoriginal.