WordGarden.iofineness
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /fˈaɪnnəs/
US
- /fˈaɪnnəs/
Meanings
Noun
the quality of being excellent or very good
delicacy, refinement, or subtle detail
smallness or thinness of particles, fibers, or texture
More meaningsFewer meanings
the proportion of pure precious metal in an alloy
Beyond the definition
Fineness is the quality of being delicate, smooth, pure, or carefully detailed. Think of a finely woven silk scarf; its fineness comes from its thin threads and close weave. The word can describe physical things, like fine sand, soft fabric, or flour ground into very small particles. It can also describe the careful detail in art, craft, or design. In some fields, especially with gold or silver, it means purity.
Fineness refers to the quality of being fine in texture, detail, or purity. It is often used for physical things. We can talk about the fineness of sand, cloth, thread, or flour when the particles or fibers are small, smooth, or delicate. In art or skilled work, it can describe careful detail and precision, such as the fineness of brushwork, carving, or decoration.
The word also has an important technical use. In jewelry, metallurgy, and coinage, fineness means purity, especially the amount of pure gold or silver in a metal object or alloy. For example, a jeweler may speak of the fineness of gold to show how much of it is actually pure gold.
In a broader sense, the word suggests something delicate, exact, and carefully made. It often carries a feeling of quality and control. So whether you are describing the fineness of a woven fabric, the fineness of a detailed drawing, or the fineness of precious metal, the idea is the same: something is notably delicate, exact, or pure.
Examples
- 1
Fabric texture
I was surprised by the fineness of the cloth; it felt soft and almost weightless.
- 2
Line detail
The artist spent hours getting the fineness of the lines just right.
- 3
Coffee grind
The taste of the coffee depends on the fineness of the grind.
- Domainin coffee, the fineness of the grind
how coarse or fine the ground coffee is
- 4
Metal purity
The certificate states that the gold has a fineness of 999.9.
- Domainin gold or silver, fineness
the purity of the metal
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- fineness of grain
- fineness of detail
- degree of fineness
- fineness of texture
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Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- finenessnoun