finity

finity — noun

1. the condition of not being endless, but having a limit in time, size, or supply

1.nounC2
Definition

the condition of not being endless, but having a limit in time, size, or supply

Example

After her cancer treatment ended, Roya spoke calmly about the finity of life.

the finity of life

The drought forced the council to face the finity of the town's water supply.

the finity of [resource]

Common collocations
  • the finity of life
  • the finity of resources
  • human finity
Synonyms
  • finitude

    very close in meaning, but more common than 'finity' in philosophical writing

  • finiteness

    near-synonym with a slightly more technical tone

  • mortality

    narrower, focusing on the fact that living beings die

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the finity of [noun]

human finity

Usage Note

Usually appears in formal or philosophical writing, often with 'the' and an 'of'-phrase naming what has limits, such as life, time, or resources. In everyday English, speakers usually choose 'limits', 'mortality', or 'finiteness' instead.

Common Mistakes

I have a finity of energy today.
My energy is limited today.
'finity' names an abstract state, not a quantity you can have.
The finity of the room is three metres.
The room is three metres wide.
'finity' is not used for a measurement or size statement.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Finity' is a rare formal word for the state of having an end or limit. 'Finitude' is extremely close in meaning, but it appears more often in philosophy and theology, so readers are slightly more likely to meet it there. 'Finiteness' is the plainer and more technical option, especially in mathematics, logic, or discussions of size and number. 'Mortality' is narrower: it points specifically to the fact that living beings die, not to every kind of limit. A writer reflecting on time, resources, or the shortness of life may choose 'finity', but in most ordinary contexts people simply talk about limits or about human mortality.

finity ↗finitude ↗finiteness ↗mortality ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • human finity
  • finity of life
  • finity of resources

Phrases

  • reflect on finity
  • accept human finity

Prepositions

  • finity of

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed in English from 'finite' plus the noun ending '-ity'. The older root goes back to Latin words built on 'finis', meaning 'end' or 'boundary', which is why 'finity' is closely related in form and meaning to 'finite', 'finitude', and 'infinity'.