fin

¹

[ fin ]

noun

1. a membranous, winglike or paddlelike organ attached to any of various parts of the body of fishes and certain other aquatic animals, used for propulsion, steering, or balancing.
2. Nautical.
   1. a horizontal, often adjustable, winglike appendage to the underwater portion of a hull, as one for controlling the dive of a submarine or for damping the roll of a surface vessel.
   2. fin keel ( def ).
3. Also called vertical stabilizer. Aeronautics. any of certain small, subsidiary structures on an aircraft, designed to increase directional stability.
4. any of a number of standing ridges on an ordinarily hot object, as a radiator, a cylinder of an internal-combustion engine, etc., intended to maximize heat transfer to the surrounding air by exposing a large surface area.
5. any part, as of a mechanism, resembling a fin.
6. Metallurgy. a ridge of metal squeezed through the opening between two rolls, dies, or halves of a mold in which a piece is being formed under pressure. Compare flash ( def 11 ).
7. Automotive. an ornamental structure resembling an aeronautical fin that is attached to the body of an automobile, as on each rear fender tail fin.
8. Slang. the arm or hand.
9. Usually fins. flipper ( def 2 ).

verb (used with object)

, finned, fin·ning.

1. to cut off the fins from (a fish); carve or cut up, as a chub.
2. to provide or equip with a fin or fins.

verb (used without object)

, finned, fin·ning.

1. to move the fins; lash the water with the fins, as a whale when dying.

fin

²

[ fin ]

noun

1. Slang. a five-dollar bill.

fin.

³

abbreviation for

1. finance.
2. financial.
3. finish.

Fin.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. Finland.
2. Finnish.

Fin

¹

abbreviation for

1. Finland
2. Finnish

fin.

²

abbreviation for

1. finance
2. financial

FIN

³

abbreviation for

1. Finland (international car registration)

fin

⁴

/ fɪn /

noun

1. slang.
   a five-dollar bill

fin

⁵

/ fɪn /

noun

1. any of the firm appendages that are the organs of locomotion and balance in fishes and some other aquatic animals. Most fishes have paired and unpaired fins, the former corresponding to the limbs of higher vertebrates
2. a part or appendage that resembles a fin
3. 1. a vertical surface to which the rudder is attached, usually placed at the rear of an aeroplane to give stability about the vertical axis US namevertical stabilizer
   2. a tail surface fixed to a rocket or missile to give stability
4. nautical a fixed or adjustable blade projecting under water from the hull of a vessel to give it stability or control
5. a projecting rib to dissipate heat from the surface of an engine cylinder, motor casing, or radiator
6. often plural another name for flipper

verb

1. tr to provide with fins
2. tr to remove the fins from (a dead fish)
3. intr (esp of a whale) to agitate the fins violently in the water

fin

/ fĭn /

1. One of the winglike or paddlelike parts of a fish, dolphin, or whale that are used for propelling, steering, and balancing in water.

Derived Forms

• ˈfinless, adjective

Other Words From

• finless adjective
• finlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fin¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English finn; cognate with Dutch vin, Low German finne; akin to Swedish fena; probably akin to Latin pinna ( def ); pen ¹( def )

Origin of fin²

First recorded in 1865–70; earlier finnip, finnup, fin(n)if “a five-pound note,” from Yiddish fin(e)f “five,” from Middle High German vumf, vimf; five

Word History and Origins

Origin of fin¹

from Yiddish finf five, ultimately from Old High German funf, finf

Origin of fin²

Old English finn ; related to Middle Dutch vinne , Old Swedish fina , Latin pinna wing

Example Sentences

It has silvery blue skin and a red dorsal fin that runs the length of its body.

From The Daily Beast

“The annoying thing about life is that it screws up the production,” Fin muses.

From The Daily Beast

He carried with him the insecurities, foibles, and morose visions of fin de siècle Europe.

From The Daily Beast

“Beside me the young Brit was snoring softly now, his glasses askew on his fin-shaped nose,” Obama wrote.

From The Daily Beast

They looked up from their cucumber sandwiches and saw, 25 yards off, an enormous fin slicing the water.

From The Daily Beast

Mais on peut bien appeller vn voyage heureux, quand en fin on arrive bon port.

From Project Gutenberg

En fin il parvint Dieppe, & apres quelque sejour il se mit en mer le 26.

From Project Gutenberg

Bref ilz remboursent lesditz Marchs de chac deux milles livres, 176 & se mettent en fin la voile le 26.

From Project Gutenberg

They're like whisky, gran' at the time, but you sing sorry next day, an' fin' oot what a fool you hae been.

From Project Gutenberg

Then spake the Earl to that man whose name 118 some say was Fin, but as others have it was of Finnish kith and kin.

From Project Gutenberg