terminal

[ tur-muh-nl ]

adjective

1. situated at or forming the end or extremity of something:

   a terminal feature of a vista.

   Synonyms: ultimate, final

2. occurring at or forming the end of a series, succession, or the like; closing; concluding.

   Synonyms: ultimate, final

3. pertaining to or lasting for a term or definite period; occurring at fixed terms or in every term:

   terminal payments.

4. pertaining to, situated at, or forming the terminus of a railroad.
5. Botany. growing at the end of a branch or stem, as a bud or inflorescence.
6. Architecture. noting a figure, as a herm or term, in the form of a bust upon a gaine.
7. pertaining to or placed at a boundary, as a landmark.
8. occurring at or causing the end of life:

   a terminal disease.

   Synonyms: lethal, mortal, fatal

9. Informal. utterly beyond hope, rescue, or saving:

   The undercapitalized project is a terminal problem.

noun

1. a terminal part of a structure; end or extremity.
2. Railroads. a major assemblage of station, yard, maintenance, and repair facilities, as at a terminus, at which trains originate or terminate, or at which they are distributed or combined.
3. Computers. any device for entering information into a computer or receiving information from it, as a keyboard with video display unit, either adjoining the computer or at some distance from it.
4. a station on the line of a public carrier, as in a city center or at an airport, where passengers embark or disembark and where freight is received or discharged.
5. Electricity.
   1. the mechanical device by means of which an electric connection to an apparatus is established.
   2. the point of current entry to, or point of current departure from, any conducting component in an electric circuit.
6. Architecture.
   1. a herm or term.
   2. a carving or the like at the end of something, as a finial.

terminal

/ ˈtɜːmɪnəl /

adjective

1. of, being, or situated at an end, terminus, or boundary

   terminal buds

   a terminal station

2. of, relating to, or occurring after or in a term

   terminal leave

3. (of a disease) terminating in death

   terminal cancer

4. informal.
   extreme

   terminal boredom

5. of or relating to the storage or delivery of freight at a warehouse

   a terminal service

noun

1. a terminating point, part, or place
2. 1. a point at which current enters or leaves an electrical device, such as a battery or a circuit
   2. a conductor by which current enters or leaves at such a point
3. computing a device having input/output links with a computer but situated at a distance from the computer
4. architect
   1. an ornamental carving at the end of a structure
   2. another name for term
5. 1. a point or station usually at the end of the line of a railway, serving as an important access point for passengers or freight
   2. a less common name for terminus
6. a purpose-built reception and departure structure at the terminus of a bus, sea, or air transport route
7. a site where raw material is unloaded, stored, in some cases reprocessed, and reloaded for further transportation, esp an onshore installation designed to receive offshore oil or gas from tankers or a pipeline
8. physiol
   1. the smallest arteriole before its division into capillaries
   2. either of two veins that collect blood from the thalamus and surrounding structures and empty it into the internal cerebral vein
   3. the portion of a bronchiole just before it subdivides into the air sacs of the lungs

terminal

/ tûr′mə-nəl /

1. A position in a circuit or device at which a connection can be made or broken.
2. See Note at battery
3. Computer Science.
   A device, often equipped with a keyboard and a video display, by which one can read, enter, or manipulate information in a computer system.

Derived Forms

• ˈterminally, adverb

Other Words From

• ter·mi·nal·ly adverb
• in·ter·ter·mi·nal adjective
• non·ter·mi·nal adjective
• pre·ter·mi·nal adjective
• sub·ter·mi·nal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of terminal¹

First recorded in 1480–90; late Middle English, from Latin terminālis, equivalent to termin(us) “end, limit” + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of terminal¹

C15: from Latin terminālis, from terminus end

Example Sentences

Under the airport proposal, the upgrades would involve a new runway and an improved passenger terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

From BBC

The run certainly isn't terminal in terms of their bid to win a record-extending fifth straight Premier League title, given they are only five points behind leaders Liverpool and four points clear of third-placed Chelsea.

From BBC

Clinica Sierra Vista workers routinely head there to find their clients and dole out medications to those suffering from terminal illnesses.

From Los Angeles Times

At first, doctors believed Cassandra's cancer was terminal.

From BBC

Hospices are charities that care for people with a terminal diagnosis to the end of their life, which could be weeks or many months away, either:

From BBC

Related Words

• depot
• station