ter·mi·nal
ˈtər-mə-nᵊl 
ˈtərm-nəl
1
a(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
b
: of, relating to, or occurring in a term or each term
terminal payments
c
: extremely or hopelessly severe
terminal boredom
2
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
3
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
terminally
adverb
1
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
2
: a combination of a keyboard and output device (such as a video display unit) by which data can be entered into or output from a computer or electronic communications system
3
: a device attached to the end of a wire or cable or to an electrical apparatus for convenience in making connections
4
: a part that forms the end : extremity, termination
5
: a terminating usually ornamental detail : finial
Synonyms
Examples of terminal in a Sentence
Adjective
She was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
I was suffering from terminal boredom.
another person with terminal stupidity
branches that end in a terminal bud
Noun
I will meet you outside the bus terminal.
Flight 1584 is now departing from Gate 6 in Terminal A.
You are not allowed in the terminal without a ticket.
Ten terminals are connected to this server.
You will need to clean the corrosion off the battery terminals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
Collie died Saturday at St. Christopher’s Hospice in South London following a terminal cancer diagnosis six months earlier, a publicist announced.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
Steven Ehrlich, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
If supply sources such as refineries, ports, and pipeline terminals are further away, then transportation to the point of sale adds to the total price paid at the pump.
—Deena Zaidi, Quartz, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for terminal 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Throughout the terminal, large signs in Korean and English warn about an American product whose presence in your luggage can result in police action — Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
Collie died Saturday at St. Christopher’s Hospice in South London following a terminal cancer diagnosis six months earlier, a publicist announced.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
Lightning is pretty reliable and nice for point-of-sale terminals and person-to-person payments, but there’s still room for improvement.
—Steven Ehrlich, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
If supply sources such as refineries, ports, and pipeline terminals are further away, then transportation to the point of sale adds to the total price paid at the pump.
—Deena Zaidi, Quartz, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for terminal
Articles Related to terminal
Dictionary Entries Near terminal
Cite this Entry
“Terminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terminal. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terminal
1 of 2 adjective
ter·mi·nal
ˈtərm-nəl
-ən-ᵊl
1
a
: of, relating to, or forming an end
a terminal pillar of a temple
b
: growing at the end of a branch or stem
a terminal bud
2
a
: of, relating to, or occurring in a term or each term
make terminal payments on a car
b
: leading finally to death
a terminal illness
3
: occurring at or being the end of a period or series
terminally
adverb
-ē
terminal
2 of 2 noun1
: a part that forms the end
2
: a device attached to the end of a wire or cable or to electrical equipment for making connections
3
a
: either end of a transportation line (as a railroad or shipping line) with its offices and freight and passenger stations
b
: a freight or passenger station that serves a large area or acts as a junction between lines
a bus terminal
c
: a town at the end of a transportation line
4
: a device (as in a computer system) used for data entry and display
Medical Definition
terminal
1 of 2 adjective
ter·mi·nal
ˈtərm-nəl, -ən-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or being at an end, extremity, boundary, or terminus
the terminal phalanx of a finger
2
a
: leading ultimately to death : fatal
terminal cancer
b
: approaching or close to death : being in the final stages of a fatal disease
a terminal patient
c
: of or relating to patients with a terminal illness
terminal care
3
: being at or near the end of a chain of atoms making up a molecule
the terminal carbon
terminal
2 of 2 noun
: a part that forms an end
especially
: nerve ending
synthesis of a neurotransmitter in the presynaptic terminal of a neuron —R. J. Wurtman
R. J. Wurtman Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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