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¹terminal

adjective ter·mi·nal \ˈtərm-nəl, ˈtər-mə-n^əl\

: causing death eventually : leading finally to death

: having an illness that cannot be cured and that will soon lead to death

: of or relating to patients who have a terminal illness

Full Definition of TERMINAL

a : of or relating to an end, extremity, boundary, or terminus <a terminal pillar>

b : growing at the end of a branch or stem <a terminal bud>

a : of, relating to, or occurring in a term or each term <terminal payments>

b (1) : leading ultimately to death : fatal <terminal cancer> (2) : approaching or close to death : being in the final stages of a fatal disease <a terminal patient> (3) : of or relating to patients with a terminal illness <terminal care>

c : extremely or hopelessly severe <terminal boredom>

a : occurring at or constituting the end of a period or series : concluding <the terminal moments of life>

b : not intended as preparation for further academic work <a terminal curriculum>

— ter·mi·nal·ly adverb

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Origin of TERMINAL

Latin terminalis, from terminus

First Known Use: 1744

Related to TERMINAL

Synonyms: bottommost, closing, concluding, final, hindmost, lag, latest, latter, rearmost, last, terminating, ultimate

Antonyms: beginning, earliest, first, foremost, headmost, inaugural, initial, leadoff, maiden, opening, original, pioneer, primary, starting

Synonym Discussion of TERMINAL

last, final, terminal, ultimate mean following all others (as in time, order, or importance). last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped <last page of a book> <last news we had of him>. final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress <final day of school>. terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development <terminal phase of a disease>. ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible <the ultimate collapse of the system>.

Rhymes with TERMINAL

germinal

²terminal

noun

: a building where buses or trains regularly stop so that passengers can get on and off

: a building at an airport where people get on and off airplanes

: a computer or a combination of a keyboard and a video display that is connected to a system and used for entering or receiving data

Full Definition of TERMINAL

: a part that forms the end : extremity, termination

: a terminating usually ornamental detail : finial

: a device attached to the end of a wire or cable or to an electrical apparatus for convenience in making connections

a : either end of a carrier line having facilities for the handling of freight and passengers

b : a freight or passenger station that is central to a considerable area or serves as a junction at any point with other lines

c : a town or city at the end of a carrier line : terminus

: a combination of a keyboard and output device (as a video display unit) by which data can be entered into or output from a computer or electronic communications system

See terminal defined for English-language learners