FINITE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does finite mean? 

• FINITE (adjective)
  The adjective FINITE has 2 senses:

1. bounded or limited in magnitude or spatial or temporal extent

2. (of verbs) relating to forms of the verb that are limited in time by a tense and (usually) show agreement with number and person

  Familiarity information: FINITE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FINITE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bounded or limited in magnitude or spatial or temporal extent

Similar:

bounded; delimited (having the limits or boundaries established)

exhaustible (capable of being used up; capable of being exhausted)

impermanent (existing or enduring for a limited time only)

limited (not unlimited)

Also:

mortal (subject to death)

Antonym:

infinite (having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude)

Derivation:

finiteness (the quality of being finite)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(of verbs) relating to forms of the verb that are limited in time by a tense and (usually) show agreement with number and person

Similar:

tensed (having inflections to indicate tense)

Domain category:

grammar (the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics))

Antonym:

infinite ((of verbs) not having tense, person, or number (as a participle or gerund or infinitive))

 Context examples 

Cells adapted to culture, but with finite division potential.

(Cell Strain, NCI Thesaurus)

An object with finite mass and size parameters.

(Particle, NCI Thesaurus)

He is finite, though he is powerful to do much harm and suffers not as we do.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This distribution models systems in which each trial results in one of a finite set of outcomes with a fixed probability.

(Multinomial Distribution, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers then used a new method, combining finite element modelling and Bayesian nested sampling to estimate the storage timescales.

(‘Crystal clocks’ used to time magma storage before volcanic eruptions, University of Cambridge)

It crushed them into the remotest recesses of their own minds, pressing out of them, like juices from the grape, all the false ardours and exaltations and undue self-values of the human soul, until they perceived themselves finite and small, specks and motes, moving with weak cunning and little wisdom amidst the play and inter-play of the great blind elements and forces.

(White Fang, by Jack London)