[ter.mi.nal] adj [L terminalis, fr. terminus] (1744) 1 a: of or relating to an end, extremity, boundary, or terminus "a ~ pillar" b: growing at the end of a branch or stem "a ~ bud"
2. a: of, relating to, or occurring in a term or each term "~ payments" b: leading ultimately to death: fatal "~ cancer" c: approaching or close to death: being in the final stages of a fatal disease "a ~ patient" d: extremely or hopelessly severe "~ boredom" 3 a: occurring at or constituting the end of a period or series: concluding "the ~ moments of life" b: not intended as preparation for further academic work "a ~ curriculum" syn see last -- ter.mi.nal.ly adv
[2]terminal n (1831) 1: a part that forms the end: extremity, termination
2: a terminating usu. ornamental detail: finial
3: a device attached to the end of a wire or cable or to an electrical apparatus for convenience in making connections
4. 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
5: 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