Fino

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of dry sherry known for its pale color and light flavor profile
2. A term used in the world of wine to describe a specific quality of certain fermented beverages
3. An artistic style characterized by intricate detail and fine craftsmanship

Etymology: "Fino" reached English from Spanish, where "fino" means "fine," and it is a doublet of the English word "fine," meaning the two share a common ancestor but arrived by different routes. The English "fine" came through Old French from Latin "finis," "end" or "boundary," and its sense of thinness, delicacy and skill passed into the Iberian languages in parallel, so Spanish "fino" carries the same qualities of refinement and slenderness that the English word once did. In English, the term is used for art and craft that shows intricate detail and careful workmanship, most often describing a style in which the finest elements of a design are rendered with precision. The borrowing keeps the Spanish flavor of the original adjective while narrowing it to a technical sense of craftsmanship.