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fin

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fin¹

  • /fɪn/
  • /fən/ New Zealand

Sounds like Finn, thin (th-fronting), fen (pin–pen merger) · Rhymes with -ɪn

Where it comes from

From Middle English fin, from Old English finn, from Proto-Germanic *finnō, *finǭ (“dorsal fin”) (compare Dutch vin, German Finne, Swedish finne, fena), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pīn- (“backbone, dorsal fin”) (compare Old Irish ind (“end, point”), Latin pinna (“feather, wing, fin”), Tocharian A spin (“hook”).

noun fins

  1. One of the appendages of a fish, used to propel itself and to manoeuvre/maneuver. The fish's fins minimize water flow.
  2. A similar appendage of a cetacean or other marine animal. a dolphin's fin

    Similar: flipper

  3. A thin, rigid component of an aircraft, extending from the fuselage and used to stabilise and steer the aircraft. The fin stabilises the plane in flight.
  4. A similar structure protruding from a projectile, used to help keep it on course.
  5. A similar structure on the bottom of a surfboard, used to help steer it.
  6. A hairstyle, resembling the fin of a fish, in which the hair is combed and set into a vertical ridge along the top of the head from about the crown to the forehead.
  7. A device worn by divers and swimmers on their feet. The divers wore fins to swim faster.

    Similar: flipper

  8. An extending part on a surface of a radiator, engine, heatsink, etc., used to facilitate cooling.
  9. A sharp raised edge (generally in concrete) capable of damaging a roof membrane or vapor retarder.
  10. The conning tower of a submarine.
  11. UK, obsolete, slang A person's hand. "Done say I to that, Reuben, tip me your fin, my spark, and it shall be a bet."

Similar: vane, Mohican

verb fins · finning · finned

  1. transitive To cut the fins from a fish, shark, etc.
  2. intransitive (Of a fish) to swim with the dorsal fin above the surface of the water. When you spot him finning just under the surface, you move up quietly and present [...] bait, usually a squid.
  3. intransitive To swim in the manner of a fish. A neutrally buoyant diver does not need to fin to maintain depth.
  4. transitive To provide (a motor vehicle etc) with fins.

fin²

  • /fɪn/
  • /fən/ New Zealand

Sounds like Finn, thin (th-fronting), fen (pin–pen merger) · Rhymes with -ɪn

Where it comes from

From Yiddish פֿינף (finf, “five”). Doublet of cinque, finnuf, five, pimp (“five”), ponzu, punch (“beverage”), and sengi (“currency”).

noun fins

  1. UK, slang a five-pound (£5) note; the sum of five pounds.

    Similar: finny, fiver, finnuf

  2. US, dated, slang A five-dollar bill; the sum of five dollars.

    Similar: fiver, Lincoln

fin³

  • /fɪn/
  • /fən/ New Zealand

Sounds like Finn, thin (th-fronting), fen (pin–pen merger) · Rhymes with -ɪn

Where it comes from

From French fin (“end”). Doublet of fine and finis.

noun fins

  1. archaic "The end".

    Similar: finis

  2. obsolete Denotes the end of the road.

fin⁴

  • /fɪn/
  • /fən/ New Zealand

Sounds like Finn, thin (th-fronting), fen (pin–pen merger) · Rhymes with -ɪn

Where it comes from

Clipping of finasteride.

noun

  1. informal, uncountable finasteride

Fin⁵

proper noun

  1. commune in the Somme department in France

FIN⁶

noun FINs

  1. US, abbreviation, initialism Initialism of facility ID number
  2. UK, abbreviation, initialism Initialism of force identification number
  3. abbreviation, initialism Initialism of feminine in nature

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: tailfin, flipper, tail fin, phoebe, break water, louver, v, fivesome, five, pentad, quintet, quintuplet, quint, cinque, louvre, flippers

noun

Similar: vane, Mohican

Translations

Every language

noun appendage of a fish

Españolaleta
한국어지느러미 jineureomi
日本語鰭 hire
中文鰭 /鳍 qí, 魚鰭 /鱼鳍 yúqí
हिन्दीपंख paṅkh, मीनपक्ष mīnpakṣ
Portuguêsnadadeira, barbatana
Françaisnageoire, aileron
DeutschFlosse
Italianopinna
Ελληνικάπτερύγιο pterýgio
Românăaripioară, aripă, înotătoare
Русскийплавни́к plavník, перо́ peró
Tiếng Việtvây, vi
العربيةزِعْنِفَة ziʕnifa
עבריתסְנַפִּיר snapír

noun of a bomb

Portuguêsaleta
Françaisempennage
DeutschLeitwerk
Italianoimpennaggio
Русскийстабилиза́тор stabilizátor

noun appendage of a cetacean or other marine animal

Españolaleta
Portuguêsnadadeira
Françaisnageoire
DeutschFinne, Fluke f Flosse
Italianopinna
Русскийласт last, плавни́к plavník

noun aircraft component

Portuguêsestabilizador, aleta
Françaisempennage
DeutschLeitwerk, Höhenleitwerk, Seitenleitwerk
Italianoimpennaggio
Русскийстабилиза́тор stabilizátor

noun device used by divers

Españolaleta
한국어오리발 oribal, 물갈퀴 mulgalkwi, 핀 pin
日本語フィン fin
中文脚蹼 jiǎopú
Portuguêspé de pato, barbatana
Françaispalme
DeutschSchwimmflossen)
Italianopinna
Русскийласт last, ла́сты lásty

noun film and TV, end

日本語完 kan

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Cite this
MLA

"fin." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/fin. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

fin. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/fin

Chicago

"fin." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/fin.

BibTeX
@misc{fin_2026,
  title = {fin},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/fin},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}