From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
final
adj 1: occurring at or forming an end or termination; "his
concluding words came as a surprise"; "the final
chapter"; "the last days of the dinosaurs"; "terminal
leave" [syn: concluding, last, terminal]
2: conclusive in a process or progression; "the final answer";
"a last resort"; "the net result" [syn: last, net]
3: not to be altered or undone; "the judge's decision is
final"; "the arbiter will have the last say" [syn: last]
n 1: the final match between the winners of all previous matches
in an elimination tournament
2: an examination administered at the end of an academic term
[syn: final examination, final exam]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Final \Fi"nal\ (f[imac]"nal), a. [F., fr. L. finalis, fr. finis
boundary, limit, end. See Finish.]
1. Pertaining to the end or conclusion; last; terminating;
ultimate; as, the final day of a school term.
[1913 Webster]
Yet despair not of his final pardon. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. Conclusive; decisive; as, a final judgment; the battle of
Waterloo brought the contest to a final issue.
[1913 Webster]
3. Respecting an end or object to be gained; respecting the
purpose or ultimate end in view.
[1913 Webster]
Final cause. See under Cause.
Syn: Final, Conclusive, Ultimate.
Usage: Final is now appropriated to that which brings with it
an end; as, a final adjustment; the final judgment,
etc. Conclusive implies the closing of all discussion,
negotiation, etc.; as, a conclusive argument or fact;
a conclusive arrangement. In using ultimate, we have
always reference to something earlier or proceeding;
as when we say, a temporary reverse may lead to an
ultimate triumph. The statements which a man finally
makes at the close of a negotiation are usually
conclusive as to his ultimate intentions and designs.
[1913 Webster]