Terminal

/ˈtɜrnɪməl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A place where vehicles or passengers arrive and depart.

We arrived at the airport terminal just in time for our flight.

A device or point of connection for a computer or telecommunications network.

She accessed the database through a terminal connected to the mainframe.

A station on a railway line or bus route.

The bus terminal was crowded with commuters during rush hour.

adjective

Forming or relating to an end or extremity.

He was diagnosed with a terminal illness, which left him with little time.

Relating to a terminal that provides information and services.

The terminal display showed the latest flight information.

From Latin 'terminalis', meaning 'of a boundary or limit'.

terminal illness

A disease that is incurable and expected to lead to death.

terminal velocity

The highest velocity attainable by an object as it falls through a fluid.

terminal station

The last station on a railway line.

terminal block

An electrical connector where wires can be connected.

terminate

To bring to an end.

termination

The act of ending something.

terminus

A final point in a journey or process.

terminology

The set of technical or specialized words used in a particular field.

To die, often used in a humorous context.

That budget review was so bad, I thought I was terminal.

Referencing a point of no return in a situation.

Once I opened that door, I felt like I was at a terminal point.