fin de siècle

American  

[fan duh see-ek-luh, fan duh sye-kl^uh] / ˈfæn də siˈɛk lə, fɛ̃ də ˈsjɛ klə /

noun

1. the end of the 19th century.

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adjective

1. Sometimes fin-de-siècle of, relating to, or characterized by concepts of art, society, etc., associated with the end of the 19th century.

fin de siècle British  

/ fɛ̃ də sjɛklə /

noun

1. the end of the 19th century, when traditional social, moral, and artistic values were in transition

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adjective

1. of or relating to the close of the 19th century

2. decadent, esp in artistic tastes

fin de siècle Cultural  

1. The end of the nineteenth century; the phrase is French for “end of the century.” Fin de siècle is particularly used to describe the period's self-conscious artistic movements and a sophisticated despair that became popular at the time. Oscar Wilde is one of the best-known fin-de-siècle figures.

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Etymology

Origin of fin de siècle

First recorded in 1885–95; from French: “end of century”; cf. fine ¹ ( def. ), de ( def. ), secular ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fin de siècle

This isn’t the only thing going on this summer that gives me that ominous fin de siècle feeling.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

The catalog begins with fin de siècle Europe, when the emergence of mass publishing began to lead to a firmer distinction between subordinate illustrators and visionary fine artists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

Based on Larson’s research, he writes his nonfiction like a novel, chockablock full of weird and wondrous details of Chicago at the fin de siècle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2025

If peaches were touted as a cure for Georgia’s “sorry, washed-out anemic gullied hillsides” at the fin de siècle, than kudzu was seen as the panacea after the Great Depression.

From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2021

All hail to the woman of the twentieth century; let fin de siècle stand for all that is best and noblest in womanhood: for liberty, equality, and fraternity; for right, truth, and justice.

From Threads of Grey and Gold by Myrtle Reed

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