Finite: Definition, Usage & Common Examples

Meaning 1：having an end or limit (finite)

finite 🔊

/ˈfaɪnaɪt/

adj.

Something that has an end or a limit; it can run out and is not endless.

Finite concept illustrated with an hourglass and a nearly empty money jar, symbolizing limited time and resources.

having an end or limit 🔊

➕

/ˈhævɪŋ ən end ɔːr ˈlɪmɪt/

adj.

Describes something that has a boundary, an endpoint, or a maximum quantity; not lasting forever and not without restriction.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'finis' (end).

💡 Mnemonic

Think: 'Fine' it is, but it 'ends' (fin+ite). A finite party must end.

📖 Example

We must remember that the Earth's supply of fresh water is finite and must be conserved. 🔊 It is crucial to keep in mind that the planet's fresh water resources are limited and require protection.

🔗 Collocations

finite resource – a material or source of energy that exists in a limited quantity

finite amount – a specific, limited quantity of something

finite number – a countable, limited quantity

🔄 Synonyms

limited (adj.) – Restricted in size, amount, or extent; not infinite.

restricted (adj.) – Limited in extent, number, or scope.

bounded (adj.) – Having an edge or boundary; confined within limits.

🚫 Antonyms

infinite (adj.) – Limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate.

unlimited (adj.) – Not restricted or limited in terms of number, quantity, or extent.

endless (adj.) – Having or seeming to have no end or limit.

🌱 Derivatives

infinity (n.) – The state or quality of being infinite; an indefinitely large number or amount.

infinitesimal (adj.) – Extremely small; nearly zero.

📖 Cultural Story

From Latin 'finitus', past participle of 'finire' meaning 'to limit, set bounds'. It entered English in the 15th century. Its opposite, 'infinite', has a deeper philosophical history, but 'finite' grounds concepts in mathematics, physics, and resource management.