Difference between Final and Finale
Key Difference: Final refers to ‘coming at the end of a series’, whereas finale is ‘the last part of a piece of music, an entertainment, or a public event, especially when particularly dramatic or exciting.’ Hence, both refer to the end of something.
The terms ‘final’ and ‘finale’ are very similar; hence it is often difficult to tell them apart. Not only do the two words sound very similar, they even have very similar definitions. According to the Oxford Dictionaries, final refers to ‘coming at the end of a series’, whereas finale is ‘the last part of a piece of music, an entertainment, or a public event, especially when particularly dramatic or exciting.’ Hence, both refer to the end of something.
Keeping this definition in mind, it can be said that final refers to the end of something. Basically, final is synonymous with the end. However, finale is something slightly different. It also refers to the end, but, it refers specifically to the end of a music, movie, book, play, show, etc. Hence, it can be said that a finale is a type of final.
Let’s consider an example: this is the final episode of the T.V. show. This sentence refers to the fact the T.V. show is ending, and that this is the last episode of the show. However, it can also be said that this episode is the show’s grand finale. This implicates that not only is the show ending, but that it will end is grand dramatic fashion.
Due to this, while the term ‘final’ can be used in the context of anything, the term ‘finale’ is typically only used in the context of a show, movie, music, play, or a public event. Basically, in reference to things that can end in a grand fashion that is exciting to watch and experience; hence the use of the phrase The Grand Finale.
In a grammatical sense, the word ‘final’ can be used as a noun or as an adjective. For example: It can be the World Cup Final, used as a noun to refer to the last match of the world cup, or as ‘the final solution’, an adjective defining the solution as the last solution that will be needed. Finale, on the other hand, is only used as a noun, i.e. the show’s finale, the grand finale, the maestro’s finale, etc.; all of which incite the anticipation of a grand ending.
Comparison between Final and Finale:
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Final |
Finale |
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Definition (Oxford Dictionaries) |
Coming at the end of a series. |
The last part of a piece of music, an entertainment, or a public event, especially when particularly dramatic or exciting. |
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Type |
Noun, Adjective |
Noun |
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Description |
The end of anything |
The end of a piece of music, movie, book, play, show, etc. |
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Implication |
Just the end of something |
That it will end in a grand scale, i.e. in a dramatic or exiting fashion |
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Eymology |
Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘conclusive’): from Old French, or from Latin finalis, from finis ‘end’. |
Mid-18th century: from Italian, from Latin finalis (see final). |
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Associated with |
The End |
The Grand Finale |
Reference: Oxford Dictionaries (Final and Finale), English for Students Image Courtesy: clipartkid.com, thechippewavalleychallenge.blogspot.in
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