terminus

noun

ter·​mi·​nus ˈtər-mə-nəs How to pronounce terminus (audio)
plural termini ˈtər-mə-ˌnī How to pronounce terminus (audio) -ˌnē How to pronounce terminus (audio) or terminuses
Synonyms of terminusnext
1
: either end of a transportation line or travel route
also : the station, town, or city at such a place : terminal
2
: an extreme point or element : tip
the terminus of a glacier
3
: a final goal : a finishing point
4
: a post or stone marking a boundary

Did you know?

This word comes straight from Latin. In the Roman empire, a terminus was a boundary stone, and all boundary stones had a minor god associated with them, whose name was Terminus. Terminus was a kind of keeper of the peace, since wherever there was a terminus there could be no arguments about where your property ended and your neighbor's property began. So Terminus even had his own festival, the Terminalia, when images of the god were draped with flower garlands. Today the word shows up in all kinds of places, including in the name of numerous hotels worldwide built near a city's railway terminus.

Examples of terminus in a Sentence

Stockholm is the terminus for the southbound train. Geologists took samples from the terminus of the glacier. the terminus of the DNA strand
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zach Cross, followed by his wife Grayson and father Tim, hikes up Springer Mountain to the Southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail to start his thru-hike, Monday, May 1, 2023. Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 2026 The approximately 15-acre parking lot at the Meadowview light rail station, which was previously the southern terminus of the Blue Line, sits mostly empty, RT spokesperson Jessica Gonzalez said Tuesday. Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026 But at its southern terminus, that impression begins to shift. Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026 The difference stood out, especially on a drive with his son to Buck Hill, where the northern terminus of the trail is located. Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for terminus

Word History

Etymology

Latin, boundary marker, limit — more at term entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1617, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of terminus was circa 1617

Cite this Entry

“Terminus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/terminus. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

terminus

noun
ter·​mi·​nus ˈtər-mə-nəs How to pronounce terminus (audio)
plural termini -ˌnī How to pronounce terminus (audio)
-ˌnē
or terminuses
1
: final goal : finishing point
2
: a post or stone marking a boundary
3
a
: either end of a transportation line or travel route
b
: the station or town at such a place

Medical Definition

terminus

noun
ter·​mi·​nus ˈtər-mə-nəs How to pronounce terminus (audio)
plural termini -ˌnī How to pronounce terminus (audio) -ˌnē How to pronounce terminus (audio) also terminuses
: an end or ending especially of a molecular chain, a chromosome, or a process of a nerve cell
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