finely
FYN-lee
Finely (adv) means Into small, thin, or delicate pieces. Example: “Chop the garlic finely before adding it to the pan.”
adv
1
Into small, thin, or delicate pieces.
"Fledglings can only be fed finely chopped meat."
"Chop the garlic finely before adding it to the pan."
2
In an elegant, skilful, or high-quality way.
"The room was finely decorated with antique furniture."
How to use finely
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "into small pieces" (as in cooking) or "elegantly/skilfully."
Common pairings
finely chopped
finely tuned
finely crafted
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Word forms
- Comparative
- finelier, more finely
- Superlative
- fineliest, most finely
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Chop the garlic _____ before adding it to the pan.
Etymology
Came into English from Middle English finely, fynely, fynly, fineliche, finliche or fynliche, equivalent to fine + -ly.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
coarsely
Related words
Rhymes for finely
See all rhymes for finely →Frequently asked questions
What does “finely” mean?
The word “finely” means into small, thin, or delicate pieces. In plain terms, either "into small pieces" (as in cooking) or "elegantly/skilfully.".
How do you pronounce “finely”?
“Finely” is pronounced FYN-lee (/ˈfaɪnli/ in IPA).
How do you use “finely” in a sentence?
Here is “finely” used in a sentence: “Chop the garlic finely before adding it to the pan.”
What part of speech is “finely”?
“Finely” is an adverb.
Is “finely” a common word?
“Finely” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “finely” have?
“Finely” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: into small, thin, or delicate pieces.
