finite

English Online Dictionary. What means finite‎? What does finite mean?

English

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle English fynyte, finit, from Latin fīnītus, perfect passive participle of fīniō (“I finish; I terminate”), from fīnis (“boundary”). The word displaced Old English ġeendodlīċ.

The noun is derived from the adjective.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈfaɪ.naɪt/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈfaɪ.nʌɪt/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈfɑɪ.nɑɪt/
• Rhymes: -aɪt
• Hyphenation: fi‧nite

Adjective

finite (comparative more finite, superlative most finite)

1. Having an end or limit; (of a quantity) constrained by bounds; (of a set) whose number of elements is a natural number.

   Synonym: limited

2. (grammar, as opposed to infinite or nonfinite) Limited by (i.e. inflected for) person or number. [from 19th c.]

3. (ring theory, of a module (or algebra) over a ring) finitely generated (as a module).

Antonyms

• infinite, nonfinite, infinitival
• unlimited
• endless
• eternal
• everlasting

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

finite (plural finites)

1. A thing which has an end or limit.

Translations

Esperanto

Adverb

finite

1. past adverbial passive participle of fini

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

finite

1. inflection of finit:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Ido

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fiˈnite/

Verb

finite

1. adverbial past passive participle of finar

Interlingua

Participle

finite

1. past participle of finir

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fiˈni.te/
• Rhymes: -ite
• Hyphenation: fi‧nì‧te

Etymology 1

Adjective

finite

1. feminine plural of finito

Participle

finite f pl

1. feminine plural of finito

Etymology 2

Verb

finite

1. inflection of finire:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /fiːˈniː.teː/, [fiːˈniːt̪eː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /fiˈni.te/, [fiˈniːt̪e]

Adverb

fīnītē (not comparable)

1. To a certain extent, within limits; limited.

   Antonym: īnfīnītē

2. Definitely, specifically.

Related terms

References

• “finite”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

Spanish

Verb

finite

1. second-person singular voseo imperative of finir combined with te