What does "finite" mean?

1. (limited in size or time) having a definite limit or end; not infinite. 2. (verb forms with tense) a verb form that shows a specific time (tense) and matches the person doing the action.

How do you use "finite"?

Often used to describe resources, time, or physical space. Used specifically in grammatical analysis to contrast with infinitives and participles.

finite

adj.

US //ˈfaɪˌnaɪt// UK //fˈaɪnaɪt// fi·nite

1 limited in size or time (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

having a definite limit or end; not infinite.

having fixed boundaries or a limited nature; constrained by specific bounds in space, time, or quantity.

Example

The world has a finite amount of oil, so we must find new energy sources.

Example

Economists often remind us that we live in a world of finite resources, necessitating difficult choices regarding consumption and sustainability.

Usage

Often used to describe resources, time, or physical space.
2 verb forms with tense (adj.)
C1 Advanced Technical Academic Science

a verb form that shows a specific time (tense) and matches the person doing the action.

describing a verb form that is limited by person, number, and tense, allowing it to serve as the main verb of a clause.

Example

In the sentence 'He eats apples', the word 'eats' is a finite verb.

Example

The student struggled to distinguish between finite verbs and participles when identifying the main predicate of complex sentences.

Usage

Used specifically in grammatical analysis to contrast with infinitives and participles.

Teacher's tip

While 'finite' is a general B2 word, this grammatical sense is C1/Technical; learners should focus on the 'limited' meaning first.
- inflected
- non finite

Origin

The adjective is derived from Middle English fynyte, finit, from Latin fīnītus, perfect passive participle of fīniō (“to finish; to terminate”), from fīnis (“boundary”). The word displaced Old English ġeendodlīċ. The noun is derived from the adjective.