SINCE 1828
finial
noun
fin·i·al
| \ ˈfi-nē-əl
\
\
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
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 There is, for instance, a twinkling chess set made entirely from crystal, and a thick crystal crescent that was later taken to Europe and incorporated into the finial of a priest’s chair. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Landmark Exhibition Takes You Inside the Exuberant, Diverse World of the Fatimid Dynasty," 21 Mar. 2018 Don't start with an 8-inch finial and get stuck with no stacking room for your fabric. — Contributing Writer, NOLA.com, "8 things to consider when buying drapes. It's more than finding the right fabric," 27 Feb. 2018 Wooden ceramic molds float on a kitchen wall, and bronze finials perch like cupcakes under a glass cake dome. — Kathleen Hackett, ELLE Decor, "A Haven in the Hamptons," 29 June 2010These 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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The first known use of finial was in the 15th century
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