finca

[ fing-kuh; Spanish feeng-kah ]

noun

, plural fin·cas [fing, -k, uh, z, feeng, -kahs].

1. a ranch or large farm in a Spanish-speaking country, especially a plantation in tropical Spanish America.

Word History and Origins

Origin of finca¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from Spanish: literally, “property, real estate, farm” (apparently originally, “amount left over”; hence, “a sum of money,” becoming “income from a property,” finally becoming “the property (itself),” derivative of Old Spanish fincar “to remain,” stative derivative of fincar ( Spanish hincar ) “to drive in, fix, sink (a nail),” alteration of ficar (from unattested Vulgar Latin fīgicāre, for Latin fīgere “to fasten”), with -n- perhaps from dialect finsar “to mark out” (ultimately from Medieval Latin fīxāre; fix, fichu ( def ) )

Example Sentences

Today, the amiable Martin lives where he was born—down the road from the Castro family finca in Birán.

From The Daily Beast

But the only actual feature which we could see and recognize was the little coffee finca this side of Zautla.

From Project Gutenberg

Having passed a small pueblo, or large finca, lying in a little plain below us, we looked down upon Zinacantan.

From Project Gutenberg

Trinidad is little more than a finca, or rancho, but it has an agente, and quite a population of Chol indians.

From Project Gutenberg

Our arrieros avoided the little towns, and selected a camp site on the roadside near the Finca Rodadero.

From Project Gutenberg

When they start the finca there is a feast, mucho talk and drinky.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• area
• farm
• parcel
• plantation
• ranch
• residence