finery

noun

fin·​ery ˈfī-nə-rē How to pronounce finery (audio)
ˈfīn-rē
plural fineries
: ornament, decoration
especially : dressy or showy clothing and jewels

Examples of finery in a Sentence

She was proud to show off her new evening finery. the guests arrived at the wedding in all their finery
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The shot showed the royal couple all dressed up in their white-tie finery, including a triumphant tiara return for Princess Kate, standing outside in a picturesque setting. Janine Henni, People.com, 10 July 2025 The raising and readying of bulls is clearly expensive, as are the competitors’ finery and the administrative infrastructure of the sport. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 24 June 2025 Look at the ladies in their hats and finery, the gentlemen in their pastels and seersucker, untitled aristocrats all, with good money on the line. Sam Sifton, New York Times, 2 May 2025 Calling it the Fair View, Mulrooney was meticulous in choosing the lace curtains, plush carpets, brass bedsteads and other finery that would make her new hotel the envy of the region’s other hoteliers, who housed most guests in rough dormitories. Melanie Haiken, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for finery

Word History

Etymology

fine entry 1 + -ery

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of finery was in 1647

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Finery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finery. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

finery

noun
fin·​ery ˈfīn-(ə-)rē How to pronounce finery (audio)
plural fineries
: showy clothing and jewels

More from Merriam-Webster on finery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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