finial

noun

fin·i·al | \ ˈfi-nē-əl

How to pronounce finial (audio)

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Definition of finial

1 : a usually foliated ornament forming an upper extremity especially in Gothic architecture

2 : a crowning ornament or detail (such as a decorative knob)

Examples of finial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The racks were so tall in one corner that the finial of an ornate chandelier cleared it by inches. — New York Times, "‘A Nightmare Every Day’: Inside an Overwhelmed Funeral Home," 4 Mar. 2021 On the Mulan tower, architectural elements like a cherry blossom motif, jade ornamentation, and crossed golden spears symbolize Mulan’s fearless warrior spirit—and the dragon Mushu playfully stands atop her tower, using her finial as a gong. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, "8 Things to Know About Hong Kong Disneyland’s New Castle," 22 Dec. 2020 The Frozen tower, for instance, features an icy blue shingled roof reminiscent of Elsa’s magical powers and is topped with a three-dimensional snowflake finial. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, "8 Things to Know About Hong Kong Disneyland’s New Castle," 22 Dec. 2020 Callahan regards his work re-carving the old finial crafted by one of the cathedral’s early carvers as a valuable learning experience. — Marjorie Hunt, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Decades-Long Journey to Restore the National Cathedral," 15 July 2020 On September 29, 1990, exactly 83 years after the laying of the foundation stone, Alonso was given the great honor of setting the cathedral’s last stone: the final grand finial on the southwest tower. — Marjorie Hunt, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Decades-Long Journey to Restore the National Cathedral," 15 July 2020 Over the door a limestone balcony has a stone railing with balusters and finials. — Judy Rose, Detroit Free Press, "All brick and stone — no wood — make this $1.5M Bloomfield Twp. home memorable," 9 May 2020 The church, designed by local architect J.W. Gaddis, retains many of its original, ornate features, including limestone accents and decorative metal finials. — USA TODAY, "Puppy sleepovers, paisley-patterned botanic garden: News from around our 50 states," 19 Dec. 2019 Insert the rod in its brackets, screw on finials and let the curtain fall. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "I Made These Curtains With Tape, and I Don't Regret it," 16 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Mar 2021

Cite this Entry

“Finial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finial. Accessed 10 Apr. 2021.

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