fin de siècle

adjective

fin de siè·cle ˌfan-də-sē-ˈe-kᵊl

faⁿ-də-ˈsyeklᵊ

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the close of the 19th century and especially its literary and artistic climate of sophistication, world-weariness, and fashionable despair

: of or relating to the end of a century

fin de siècle noun

Word History

Etymology

French, end of the century

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of fin de siècle was in 1890

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fin de siècle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fin%20de%20si%C3%A8cle. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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