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final

Pronunciation: /ˈfʌɪn(ə)l/

Translate final | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of final

adjective

  • coming at the end of a series:the final version of the report was presented
  • reached or designed to be reached as the outcome of a process or a series of actions and events:the final cost will easily run into six figures
  • allowing no further doubt or dispute:the decision of the judging panel is final

noun

  • 1the last game in a sports tournament or other competition, which will decide the winner of the tournament.
  • (finals) a series of games constituting the final stage of a competition:the World Cup finals
  • 2 (finals) British a series of examinations at the end of a degree course:she was doing her history finals
  • (final) North American an examination at the end of a term, school year, or particular class.
  • 3 Music the principal note in a mode.
  • 4 (finals) the final approach of an aircraft to the runway it will be landing on: the plane piloted by Richards was on finals

Phrases

the final straw

see straw.

Origin:

Middle English (in the adjectival sense 'conclusive'): from Old French, or from Latin finalis, from finis 'end'. Compare with finish

Do not confuse final with finale. Final means 'coming at the end; last' or 'the last game in a series, to decide the overall winner' (the World Cup final), whereas finale means 'the last part of a piece of music, an entertainment, or a public event' (the festival ended with a grand finale).

final in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of final in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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