different between finial vs fleuron

English

Etymology

Late Middle English finial < Old French fin or Latin f?nis (“end”) +? -ial

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?f?n.i.?l/

Noun

finial (plural finials)

1. The knot or bunch of foliage, or foliated ornament, that forms the upper extremity of a pinnacle in Gothic architecture.

   Coordinate term: fleuron

   • 1924, Herman Melville, Billy Budd, London: Constable & Co., Chapter 24, [1]

     Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its ragged edges; hence the conclusion of such a narration is apt to be less finished than an architectural finial.

   • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty, Bloomsbury, 2005, Chapter 3,

     The steep slate roofs were topped with bronze finials so tall and fanciful they looked like drops of liquid sliding down a thread.

2. Any decorative fitting at the peak of a gable, or on the top of a flagpole, fence post or staircase newel post.

Quotations

• 1988 : It was a narrow, gravelled island we had to lie on, guarded by glazed brick chimneys and, running along the sides, a prickly little gothic fence of iron finials and terracotta quatrefoils. - Alan Hollinghurst, The Swimming Pool Library, (Penguin Books, paperback edition, 142)

Translations

Further reading

• finial on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• failin'

English

Etymology

From Old French floron (“flower”), spelling later changed to match modern French fleuron.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?fl???n/, /?flu??n/, /?fl??n/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?fl(j)????n/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?fl(j)???n/

Noun

fleuron (plural fleurons)

1. An ornament or knob in the shape of a flower

   Coordinate term: finial

2. (architecture) The small flower at the centre of each side of a Corinthian abacus; a flos.
3. (typography) The typographic element (?), used as a punctuation mark or for decoration.

References

French

Etymology

From Old French floron, fleur +? -on, architectural sense probably influenced by Italian fiorone.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /flœ.???/

Noun

fleuron m (plural fleurons)

1. (crown) jewel
2. (architecture) fleuron, finial
3. (typography) fleuron
4. (botany) floret
5. (figuratively) jewel, emblem

Further reading

• “fleuron” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

References

Romanian

Etymology

From French fleuron.

Noun

fleuron m (plural fleuroni)

1. fleuron

Declension