Fin definition
- A covering for the foot having a flat flexible portion made of rubber or plastic that widens as it extends forward from the toes, used to provide enhanced propulsion in swimming and diving.
- A fixed or movable airfoil used to stabilize an aircraft, missile, or projectile in flight.
- A thin, usually curved projection attached to the rear bottom of a surfboard for stability.
- A projecting vane used for cooling, as on a radiator or an engine cylinder.
- Any narrow edge or ridge formed in manufacturing, as on a casting by metal forced through the halves of the mold.
- Any vertical airfoil, fixed or movable, whose chief function is to give stability in flight.
- A stabilizing or steering projection on boats or submarines.
- (slang) A hand or arm.
An example of a fin is what fish use for swimming in the water.
An example of a fin is what sticks out of the water when a shark is near the surface.
An example of fin is the end of a French movie.
Other Word Forms
Noun
Origin of fin
- Yiddish finf five from Old High German funf, finf penkwe in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Middle English from Old English finn
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition