ˈfīnnə̇s noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English finenesse, from fin, fine + -nesse -ness
1. : exquisite perfection or elaborateness of form, texture, or construction : superior quality
this material surpasses all others in fineness
2.
a. : freedom from foreign matter or alloy : clearness , purity
the fineness of the gold
b. : the proportion of pure silver or gold in jewelry, bullion, or coins often expressed in parts per thousand and being in United States silver coin 9/10 or .900 fine and in English gold coin 11/12 or .9166 fine — compare karat
3.
a.
(1) : brave or striking appearance : elegance , delicacy
he was struck by the ease, the poise, the fineness of every motion — S.H.Adams
the fineness , the perfection, the chiseled quality of her features
(2) : sensitivity or delicacy of touch or manipulation
the pianist's notable fineness of rendition
the fineness of the surgeon's technique
b. : subtlety , sensitivity , acuity
not in the name of some high-flown fineness of feeling but in the name of simple social practicality — Lionel Trilling
this does not mean that there is no fineness of discrimination in his handling of its themes — T.W.Beach
4. : the condition or degree of slenderness, thinness, or sharpness
the fineness of wire
the fineness of a knife's edge determines its cutting power
5.
a. : the condition of being finely divided : the condition of being finely composed (as of particles, threads, or fibers)
marveled at the fineness of the sand
b. : the extent of subdivision of a substance as indicated under prescribed conditions (as of cement, sand, gravel, or pigments)
c. : the relative width, diameter, linear density, or weight per unit length (as of fibers or yarns) expressed in a number of units