FINAL

final, last

(adjective) not to be altered or undone; “the judge’s decision is final”; “the arbiter will have the last say”

concluding, final, last, terminal

(adjective) occurring at or forming an end or termination; “his concluding words came as a surprise”; “the final chapter”; “the last days of the dinosaurs”; “terminal leave”

final, last, net

(adjective) conclusive in a process or progression; “the final answer”; “a last resort”; “the net result”

final

(noun) the final match between the winners of all previous matches in an elimination tournament

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

final (plural finals)

(US, Canada) A final examination; a test or examination given at the end of a term or class; the test that concludes a class.

(sports) The last round, game or match in a contest, after which the winner is determined.

A contest that narrows a field of contestants (finalists) to ranked positions, usually in numbered places (1st place/prize, 2nd place/prize, etc.) or a winner and numbered runners-up (1st runner-up, etc.).

(phonology) The final part of a syllable, the combination of medial and rime in phonetics and phonology.

(music) The tonic or keynote of a Gregorian mode, and hence the final note of any conventional melody played in that mode.

Adjective

final (comparative more final, superlative most final)

Last; ultimate.

Conclusive; decisive.

Respecting an end or object to be gained; respecting the purpose or ultimate end in view.

(grammar) Expressing purpose; as in the term final clause.

(linguistics) Word-final, occurring at the end of a word.

Synonyms

• (last, ultimate): dernier (dated), endly, terminal

Antonyms

• initial

• early

• first

Anagrams

• alfin, flain

Source: Wiktionary

Fi"nal, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. finalis, fr. finis boundary, limit, end. See Finish.]

1. Pertaining to the end or conclusion; last; terminating; ultimate; as, the final day of a school term. Yet despair not of his final pardon. Milton.

2. Conclusive; decisive; as, a final judgment; the battle of Waterloo brought the contest to a final issue.

3. Respecting an end or object to be gained; respecting the purpose or ultimate end in view. Final cause. See under Cause.

Syn.

– Final, Conclusive, Ultimate. Final is now appropriated to that which brings with it an end; as, a final adjustment; the final judgment, etc. Conclusive implies the closing of all discussion, negotiation, etc.; as, a conclusive argument or fact; a conclusive arrangement. In using ultimate, we have always reference to something earlier or proceeding; as when we say, a temporary reverse may lead to an ultimate triumph. The statements which a man finally makes at the close of a negotiation are usually conclusive as to his ultimate intentions and designs.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition