Finnish

1 of 2

adjective

Finn·​ish ˈfi-nish How to pronounce Finnish (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Finland, the Finns, or Finnish

Finnish

2 of 2

noun

: the Finno-Ugric language of the Finns

Examples of Finnish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Come early to pop into the Finnish sauna or 15-meter-long pool and stay cozy for as long as possible ensconced in one of the hanging chairs. Alia Akkam, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 The buzz around this premium honey is that the bees thrive in the unspoiled air of the Finnish forest. Gemma Harris, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 The country’s response to Finnish membership was muted, though Russian officials have talked in general terms about the need to adjust their military posture in response to NATO’s new borders and plans. Emily Rauhala, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 The film is indeed both an ode to nature, the wonders of Finnish old-growth coniferous forests and woodland animals, and to the passionate youths fighting to protect them. Annika Pham, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024 The Florida Panthers’ 22-year-old Finnish center made his way into the slot and then the crease just in front of the net. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 Human appreciation for visual art may stem from art’s capability to engage the viewer’s body in a manner resembling the bodily signatures of survival-salient emotions, a Finnish study suggests. Natasha Gural, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Share [Findings] Finnish scientists identified the genomic region associated with fearfulness in Great Danes. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 Based on the Swedish word for 20, but which also can be Finnish for counting eggs or a musical score, Salonen played with the ordering of 20 chords, turning them into a resplendent phantasmagoric series of dances, fanfares, misty harmonic clouds and melancholic melody. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2024
Noun
Within hours of Navalny’s death being announced on February 16, links to the articles were spread widely on Russian-language Telegram channels as well as on Telegram accounts and blogs in other languages such as Finnish, Dutch, German, Italian, and English. David Gilbert, WIRED, 26 Feb. 2024 The 23-year-old Finnish forward has points in five straight games. Allan Kreda, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency will check average weights calculated from the data this summer. Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2024 Once complete, the information will be sent to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, for validation before the airline can use the data for future aircraft balance and loading calculations between 2025 to 2030, Finnair said. Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 Once the study is complete, the data will be sent to The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, according to the airline. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2024 According to Petri Peltonen, statistics and research specialist at the Finnish Film Foundation, the Greta Gerwig movie conquered the whole territory of Finland, with the exception of the province of southern Ostrobothnia. Annika Pham, Variety, 2 Feb. 2024 The earlier Finnish note asked the Finnish Broadcasting Company to boycott the competition and refuse to send a Finnish delegation if the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) — which runs Eurovision — doesn’t weigh in to take action. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2024 The Icelandic Association of Composers and Lyricists has told members to boycott Eurovision if Israel is allowed to compete, per The Guardian, while a group of Finnish artists said the Finnish Broadcasting Company should not enter a song. Vulture, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Finnish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1699, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Finnish was in 1699

Dictionary Entries Near Finnish

Cite this Entry

“Finnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Finnish. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Finnish

1 of 2 adjective
Finn·​ish ˈfin-ish How to pronounce Finnish (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Finland, the Finns, or Finnish

Finnish

2 of 2 noun
: a language of the Finns
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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