fin French · revision 17450

+ French has two words spelled ''fin'', the noun “end” and the adjective “fine”, both from Latin ''finis'' but separated early.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)

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+ {{homograph|1|end}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=2nd half of the 10th century, Passion de Clermont|origins=la fīnis}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Quebec): [fẽ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fin''' ''f'' (plural fins)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun “end” is [[inh|fro|fin]], [[inh|la|fīnis|t=boundary; limit; end; aim]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|3, 560a) The Latin word, of unknown origin, first meant the boundary of a field and, in the plural, a frontier (see [[confins]]); figuratively it meant “end, aim”, translating [[grc|τέλος|tr=télos]] in philosophy, and “the highest degree of something”.^(DHLF 1992) The verb [[finir]] is a remaking (13th century), after “fin”, of Old French [[m|fro|fenir]], from [[la|fīniō]].^(DHLF 1992)

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+ Cognate with [[it|fine]], [[ca|fi]], [[es|fin]] and [[pt|fim]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the second half of the 10th century in the ''Passion'' of Clermont, of the end of life, and about 1050 in the ''Vie de saint Alexis'': ''Ço peiset mei que ma fins tant demoret'' “it grieves me that my end is so slow in coming”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the end of life the word spread to the last part of anything (1080) and to the point where something stops (about 1283), whence the plural ''fins'' “frontiers” (13th century to the late 17th).^(DHLF 1992) Adverbial phrases include ''à la fin'' (1273), ''sans fin'' and, figuratively, ''faire une fin'' “to settle down, marry” (late 17th century).^(DHLF 1992)

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+ About 1300 it took the sense “goal, aim” (''qui veut la fin veut les moyens''), with a legal use from 1462 and ''fin de non-recevoir'' from 1549.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In Quebec ''la fin de semaine'' “the weekend” is distinguished from ''la fin de la semaine'', which avoids the anglicism ''week-end'', ''aux fins de'' “in order to” is administrative, and frequent in Belgium.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 2nd half of the 10th century – ''Fin'' “death” in the ''Passion'' of Clermont.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1050 – ''Ma fins'' in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1080 – The last part of something, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1273 – ''À la fin''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1300 – “Aim, goal”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1462 – A legal term, in an ordinance of Louis XI.^(TLFi)

+ * 1549 – ''Fin de non-recevoir''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|end]] of something in time: ''la fin de l'année'', ''à la fin''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # The end or limit of something in space: ''la fin du chemin''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # The last part of something: ''la fin d'un livre''.^(Larousse)

+ # [[m|en|death]]: ''sentir venir sa fin''; ruin, failure.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # An aim, a [[m|en|purpose]]: ''la fin justifie les moyens'', ''à cette fin''.^(Wiktionary)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[enfin]]

+ * [[afin]]

+ * [[finage]]

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+ {{homograph|2|fine}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1080, Chanson de Roland|origins=la fīnis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Quebec): [fẽ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fin''' (feminine fine, masculine plural fins, feminine plural fines)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective comes from the same [[inh|la|fīnis]] used as an adjective, from its figurative sense “the extreme point, the highest degree”: from Cicero on “fīnis” named the most perfect part of something, as in “fīnis bonōrum” “the highest good”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) Medieval Latin had [[m|la-med|fīnus|t=refined]].^(DHLF 1992) The transition survives in “le fin fond” and “le fin mot”, and in the adverbial “fin prêt”, “fin seul”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Diez, followed by Littré, derived it instead from [[m|la|fīnītus|t=finished, perfect]], shortened, Wiktionary calls its origin unclear.^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)

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+ Cognate with [[it|fino]] and [[pro|fin|t=pure, accomplished]]; [[de|fein]] and [[en|fine]] came from French.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the ''Chanson de Roland'' (1080), of what is perfect, as ''or fin'' “pure gold”.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old French used it of anything flawless: ''fin or'', ''fine amor'' (courtly love), ''fine verité''.^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992) Of metals it gave ''du fin'' “pure silver” (12th century) and ''or fin''; later ''fines herbes'' (1829, earlier ''herbes fines'', 1690) and ''la fine'', a fine brandy (1877).^(DHLF 1992) From the mid-13th century it meant “sharp, keen”, then “cunning” (about 1320, ''un fin renard'') and “skilful” (1770, ''un fin joueur'').^(DHLF 1992)

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+ The sense “very small” appears in 1432, “thin” in 1450 and “sharp-pointed” in 1690.^(DHLF 1992) In Quebec ''fin'' means “clever” and also “kind, nice”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1080 – ''Or fin'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1176 – The adverb ''finement''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Mid-13th century – “Keen, sharp”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1320 – “Cunning”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1432 – “Very small”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1450 – “Thin”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1507 – ''Le fin fond''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of the highest quality, pure: ''or fin'', ''vins fins''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Very thin, [[m|en|slender]]; made of very small particles: ''sable fin'', ''pluie fine''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # [[m|en|delicate]], refined: ''des traits fins''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Sharp, keen; [[m|en|shrewd]], cunning: ''une fine mouche'', ''jouer au plus fin''.^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF)

+ # Utmost, innermost: ''le fin fond'', ''le fin mot de l'histoire''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(Quebec)'' Kind, nice.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Completely: ''fin prêt''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[finement]]

+ * [[finesse]]

+ * [[finasser]]

+ * [[finaud]]

+ * [[fignoler]]

+ * [[affiner]]

+ * [[raffiner]]

+ * [[superfin]]

+ * [[surfin]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[finir]]

+ * [[final]]

+ * [[confins]]

+ * [[la|fīnis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}