[fi.nite] adj [ME finit, fr. L finitus, pp. of finire] (15c) 1 a: having definite or definable limits "~ number of possibilities" b: having a limited nature or existence "~ beings"
2: completely determinable in theory or in fact by counting, measurement, or thought "the ~ velocity of light" 3 a: less than an arbitrary positive integer and greater than the negative of that integer b: having a finite number of elements "a ~ set"
4: of, relating to, or being a verb or verb form that can function as a predicate or as the initial element of one and that is limited (as in tense, person, and number) -- finite n -- fi.nite.ly adv -- fi.nite.ness n