finial

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 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 Inside the main lodge are carvings of bears and raccoons for banister finials, a bison head presiding from high up on the great room’s walls. — Alec Scott, Sunset Magazine, "Lake Effect: On Reviving a Family Tradition with Your Closest Friends," 22 Jan. 2018 Plant stands, stone finials, and fountains decorate green spaces that guests will want to get lost in. — Michaela Bechler, Vogue, "8 of the Most Beautiful Hotel Gardens in North America," 2 Oct. 2018 The homeowner decided to resurrect the historic fence, which features finials modeled after a Catholic bishop's crozier. — Sarah Bonnette, NOLA.com, "Artscape: Sal "Dash" Diecidue celebrates 70 years of creating ironwork," 9 May 2018 The glass globes looked like fancy vases topped by a ventilator finial to keep oxygen feeding the flame inside. — Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, "Remembering Baltimore's magical glow from gaslights on a summer night," 14 July 2018 There are doors and windows, architectural columns and decorative finials, balusters and spindles, as well as bins of hinges, drawer pulls and other hardware from whatever time period one desires. — Richard A. Marini, San Antonio Express-News, "S.A.’s doors, windows, hardware from old homes finding new lives," 4 May 2018 Some stations’ wooden window frames are beveled, some roofs have finials, and some rounded arches are replaced with ever-so-slightly pointed arches. — Peter Christensen, Smithsonian, "Just Like Faces, Buildings Have Features That Algorithms Can Recognize," 24 Apr. 2018

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

1 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Finial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finial. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.

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