finite

adjective

fi·nite | \ ˈfī-ˌnīt

Definition of finite

1a : having definite or definable limits a finite number of possibilities

b : having a limited nature or existence finite beings

2 : completely determinable in theory or in fact by counting, measurement, or thought the finite velocity of light

3a : less than an arbitrary positive integer and greater than the negative of that integer

b : having a finite number of elements a finite set

4 : of, relating to, or being a verb or verb form that can function as a predicate or as the initial element of one and that is limited (as in tense, person, and number) finite verbs such as "is" and "are"

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Examples of finite in a Sentence

a finite number of possibilities the earth's finite supply of natural resources the finite human life span a finite verb such as “is” or “are”

Recent Examples on the Web

Wielding them was like having an enchanted utility belt: Your arcane abilities were finite, preselected, and each good for one job. — William Herkewitz, Popular Mechanics, "Why D&D Modernized Its Magic for a New Generation of Fantasy," 1 Sep. 2019 That’s big, since the spectrum of radio frequencies that communication devices can use is finite. — Loren Grush, The Verge, "Space startup aims to launch thousands of satellite ‘cell towers’ that connect to the average phone," 2 Aug. 2019 The equation is finite: insouciant hair + glowing skin + a showing of skin = a failsafe approach to summer beauty. — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "Kendall Jenner Has Your Day-to-Night Summer Look Sorted," 20 June 2019 The calamities are endless, the solutions finite, the worry forever. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc: Our fathers are always with us, a part of who we are," 15 June 2019 Her powerlessness had become a new kind of power, an infinity lodged inside the finite. — J. Robert Lennon, The New Yorker, "The Loop," 19 Aug. 2019 This is the natural result of a system that seeks stratospheric college attainment rates with finite public funding: to keep total spending under control, policymakers must make sacrifices. — Jason Delisle, National Review, "What European Countries Sacrifice for Free College," 15 Aug. 2019 Conceiving of utopia as an ever-evolving journey and not a finite destination—as philosophers Ernst Bloch and José Esteban Muñoz theorize—might be the answer. — Curbed Staff, Curbed, "Can utopia ever exist?," 18 July 2019 Carr, in what feels like a revelatory move for a documentarian investigating a true-crime case, never seems to come down on a single side or offer up a finite conclusion. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Cultural Fault Lines of I Love You, Now Die," 10 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for finite

finite

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of finite

: having limits : having a limited nature

grammar : of or relating to a verb form that shows action that takes place at a particular time (such as the past)

See the full definition for finite in the English Language Learners Dictionary

finite

adjective

fi·nite | \ ˈfī-ˌnīt

Kids Definition of finite

: having definite limits I was given a finite number of choices.

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finite

Definition of finite

Other Words from finite

Synonyms & Antonyms for finite

Examples of finite in a Sentence

First Known Use of finite

History and Etymology for finite

English Language Learners Definition of finite

Kids Definition of finite

finite

Definition of finite

Other Words from finite

Synonyms & Antonyms for finite

Examples of finite in a Sentence

First Known Use of finite

History and Etymology for finite

English Language Learners Definition of finite

Kids Definition of finite

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