Final describes something that comes at the very end, with nothing after it. It can refer to the last part of a process, a last decision, or the last game in a series.
It comes from Latin “finalis,” from “finis,” meaning “end” or “boundary.” The word has always carried the sense of a limit or stopping point.
“Final” is a sibling of “finish” and “finite,” all built around the idea of an end or edge. That’s why a “final exam” feels so heavy: the word itself signals there are no more chances after this.
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