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fin-de-siè·cle

(făɴ′də-sē-ĕklə)

adj.

Of or characteristic of the last part of the 19th century, especially with reference to its artistic climate of effete sophistication.

[French : fin, end + de, of + siècle, century.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

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The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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