Interesting; I suppose the word finance initially comes from the notion of paying a fine, penalty, from “fin”— final, end.

Also — to pay ransom, to kill, to die.

From Middle English finaunce, from Anglo-Norman, Middle French finance, from finer (“to pay ransom”) (whence also English fine (“to pay a penalty”)), from fin (“end”), from Latin fīnis.^[1][2]

Original English sense c. 1400 was “ending”. Sense of “ending/satisfying a debt” came from French influence: in sense of “ransom” mid 15th century, in sense of “taxation” late 15th century. In sense of “manage money” first recorded 1770.^[1]

The term “finance” originates from the French word “finance,” which means “settlement” or “payment,” and dates back to around the 17th century. Its usage in French was derived from the older Latin word “finis,” meaning “end” or “conclusion,” essentially pointing to the idea of settling debts or concluding transactions. Over time, the meaning of finance has evolved and broadened significantly.In its modern context, finance refers to the management of money and includes activities such as investing, borrowing, lending, budgeting, saving, and forecasting. It encompasses a broad range of fields, including personal finance, corporate finance, and public (government) finance, each dealing with specific aspects of resource allocation and financial management.This etymological journey from a word meaning the end or conclusion of something, to a term that now broadly encompasses the management, creation, and study of money and investments, reflects the evolution of economic systems and the increasing complexity of managing resources through time.