18 June 2016

finial

[fin-ee-uh l, fahy-nee-]

noun

1. Architecture. a relatively small, ornamental, terminal feature at the top of a gable, pinnacle, etc.
2. an ornamental termination to the top of a piece of furniture, or of one part of such a piece.
3. Typography. a curve terminating the main stroke of the characters in some italic fonts.

Origin of finial

Latin

1400-1450; late Middle English, derivative of Latin fīnis end; see -al1

Related forms

finialed, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for finial

Historical Examples

We had in England in the twelfth century a large figure serving as a finial to the central tower at Canterbury.
Leadwork
W. R. Lethaby

This is especially the case with regard to the shape of the finial.
The Bronze Age and the Celtic World
Harold Peake

And not content with this exuberance in the external ornaments of the arch, the finial interferes with its traceries.
The Stones of Venice, Volume III (of 3)
John Ruskin

Anagram

nail if
in fail
ail fin

Today’s quote

Don’t hate the media, become the media.

– Jello Biafra

On this day

18 June 1942 – birth of Paul McCartney, member of The Beatles and his writing partnership with John Lennon made them one of the world’s most successful song-writing duos. After the break-up of the Beatles, McCartney went on to have a successful solo career. He was knighted in 1997.