Finale Is Pronounced the Italian Way
A finale is the last part of a performance. English kept the Italian pronunciation, so the final E is sounded.
A finale is the concluding part of a musical work, show or series. English borrowed it from Italian along with most of its musical vocabulary, and kept the pronunciation: fi-NAH-lee, with the final E sounded. The same applies to *forte*, *andante* and *tempo* — a whole discipline speaking Italian in every language.
- The last part of a performance. *A rousing finale.*
- A concluding event. *The series finale.*
- Grand finale — a spectacular ending. *A grand finale of fireworks.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | finale | The opera's finale. |
| Plural | finales | Two finales. |
| Related | final | The final round. |
| Related | finish | A close finish. |
| Related | finite | A finite number. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The finale drew a standing ovation.Music.
- It is pronounced fi-NAH-lee.Three syllables.
- The series finale aired last night.Television.
Italian musical terms
- Finale — the last movement or section
- Allegro — fast and lively
- Adagio — slow and stately
- Crescendo — growing louder
- Forte and piano — loud and soft, which named the pianoforte
From Italian *finale*, from Latin *finalis*, from *finis*, an end. Italian dominates musical vocabulary because of its Renaissance publishing tradition.
How is finale pronounced?
Fi-NAH-lee, three syllables, following the Italian. The final E is not silent.
Why is musical vocabulary Italian?
Because printed music and its terminology spread across Europe from Italy during the Renaissance, and the terms travelled unchanged.