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terminal

Terminal is a word with many meanings. Depending on how it's used, it can describe a place where passengers end their journey, a computer screen and keyboard, or a life-ending disease.

As a noun, terminal describes a bus or train station at the end of the line. When your aunt takes the bus into town, you pick her up at the terminal. Her visit becomes very sad when your aunt tells you she's been diagnosed with an illness that's terminal — an adjective meaning she hasn't long to live. This is surprising news, since you've always believed your aunt is a hypochondriac. Now you have to go to your computer terminal and look up her disease.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: terminal

1
 adjn
occurring at or forming an end or termination
either extremity of something that has length
2
 n
a contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at which electric current enters or leaves
3
 n
electronic equipment consisting of a device providing access to a computer; has a keyboard and display
4
 adj
relating to or occurring in a term or fixed period of time
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: terminal
1

adj occurring at or forming an end or termination

“terminal leave”
Synonyms:
concluding, final, last
closing
final or ending

adj being or situated at an end

“terminal buds on a branch”
“a terminal station”
“the terminal syllable”
Antonyms:
intermediate
lying between two extremes in time or space or state
gray, grey
intermediate in character or position
halfway
at a point midway between two extremes
in-between, mediate, middle
being neither at the beginning nor at the end in a series
junior, next-to-last, third-year
used of the third or next to final year in United States high school or college
next-to-last, penultimate
next to the last
second-year, sophomore
used of the second year in United States high school or college
subterminal
near but not precisely at an end
antepenultimate
third from last
show more antonyms...

adj of or relating to or situated at the ends of a delivery route

“freight pickup is a terminal service”
“terminal charges”

adj causing or ending in or approaching death

“a terminal patient”
“terminal cancer”
Synonyms
fatal
bringing death

n either extremity of something that has length

“the terminals of the anterior arches of the fornix”
Synonyms:
end
Types:
show 33 types...
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bitter end
(nautical) the inboard end of a line or cable especially the end that is wound around a bitt
bitthead
the upper end of a bitt
heel
the lower end of a ship's mast
point
sharp end
magnetic pole, pole
one of the two ends of a magnet where the magnetism seems to be concentrated
railhead
the end of the completed track on an unfinished railway
terminus
either end of a railroad or bus route
yardarm
either end of the yard of a square-rigged ship
nerve end, nerve ending
the terminal structure of an axon that does not end at a synapse
telomere
either (free) end of a eukaryotic chromosome
heel
one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread
end point, endpoint, termination, terminus
a place where something ends or is complete
destination, finish, goal
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
tip
the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
arrowhead
the pointed head or striking tip of an arrow
barb
a subsidiary point facing opposite from the main point that makes an arrowhead or spear hard to remove
barb
the pointed part of barbed wire
cusp
point formed by two intersecting arcs (as from the intrados of a Gothic arch)
diamond point
a very hard small point made from a diamond
negative magnetic pole, negative pole, south-seeking pole
the pole of a magnet that points toward the south when the magnet is suspended freely
nib, pen nib
the writing point of a pen
pike
a sharp point (as on the end of a spear)
pinpoint
the sharp point of a pin
north-seeking pole, positive magnetic pole, positive pole
the pole of a magnet that points toward the north when the magnet is suspended freely
spear-point, spearhead, spearpoint
the head and sharpened point of a spear
spike
each of the sharp points on the soles of athletic shoes to prevent slipping (or the shoes themselves)
free nerve ending
microscopic sensory nerve endings in the skin that are not connected to any specific sensory receptor
Pacinian corpuscle
a specialized bulblike nerve ending located in the subcutaneous tissue of the skin; occurs abundantly in the skin of palms and soles and joints and genitals
proprioceptor
special nerve endings in the muscles and tendons and other organs that respond to stimuli regarding the position and movement of the body
fingertip
the end (tip) of a finger
tiptoe
the tip of a toe
finish line, finishing line
a line indicating the location of the finish of a race
beak
a beaklike, tapering tip on certain plant structures
Type of:
extremity
the outermost or farthest region or point

n station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers or goods

Synonyms:
depot, terminus
Types:
show 6 types...
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air terminal, airport terminal
a terminal that serves air travelers or air freight
bus depot, bus station, bus terminal, coach station
a terminal that serves bus passengers
cathode
the positively charged terminal of a voltaic cell or storage battery that supplies current
railroad station, railroad terminal, railway station, train depot, train station
terminal where trains load or unload passengers or goods
subway station
a terminal where subways load and unload passengers
flag stop, way station, whistle stop
a small railway station between the principal stations or a station where the train stops only on a signal
Type of:
station
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
2

n a contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at which electric current enters or leaves

Synonyms:
pole
Types:
anode
the negatively charged terminal of a voltaic cell or storage battery that supplies current
negative pole
the terminal of a battery that is connected to the negative plate
positive pole
the terminal of a battery that is connected to the positive plate
Type of:
contact, tangency
(electronics) a junction where things (as two electrical conductors) touch or are in physical contact
3

n electronic equipment consisting of a device providing access to a computer; has a keyboard and display

Types:
job-oriented terminal
a terminal designed for a particular application
link-attached station, link-attached terminal, remote station, remote terminal
a terminal connected to a computer by a data link
Type of:
electronic equipment
equipment that involves the controlled conduction of electrons (especially in a gas or vacuum or semiconductor)
4

adj relating to or occurring in a term or fixed period of time

“terminal examinations”
“terminal payments”
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