final

[ fahyn-l ]
See synonyms for: finalfinals on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. pertaining to or coming at the end; last in place, order, or time: the final meeting of the year.

  2. ultimate: The final goal is world peace.

  1. conclusive or decisive: a final decision.

  2. constituting the end or purpose: a final result.

  3. pertaining to or expressing the end or purpose: a final clause.

  4. Law.

    • precluding further controversy on the questions passed upon: The judicial determination of the Supreme Court is final.

    • determining all issues presented, so that no further decision upon the merits of the issues is necessary:a final judgment or decree.

  5. Phonetics. occurring at the end of a word or syllable, as the (t) sound in bit or bite.

noun
  1. that which is last; that which forms an end or termination.

  2. Often finals.

    • the last and decisive game, match, contest, or round in a series, as in sports.

    • the last, usually comprehensive, examination in a course of study.

  1. the last edition of a newspaper published on any day.

  2. Music. the tonic note of a church mode.

Origin of final

1
First recorded in 1300–50; 1915–20 for def. 10; Middle English, from Latin fīnālis, equivalent to fīn(is) “end” + -ālis adjective suffix; see origin at -al1

synonym study For final

1. See last1.

Other words for final

Opposites for final

Other words from final

  • pseu·do·fi·nal, adjective
  • pseu·do·fi·nal·ly, adverb
  • quasi-final, adjective

Words Nearby final

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use final in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for final

final

/ (ˈfaɪnəl) /


adjective
  1. of or occurring at the end; concluding; ultimate; last

  2. having no possibility for further discussion, action, or change; conclusive; decisive: a final decree of judgment

  1. relating to or constituting an end or purpose: a final clause may be introduced by ``in order to''

  2. phonetics at the end of a word: ``cat'' has a final ``t'' Compare medial (def. 1), initial (def. 1)

  3. music another word for perfect (def. 9b)

noun
  1. a terminal or last thing; end

  2. a deciding contest between the winners of previous rounds in a competition

  1. music the tonic note of a church mode

Origin of final

1
C14: from Latin fīnālis, from fīnis limit, boundary

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with final

final

see in the final analysis.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.