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
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.
Cherokee, North Carolina, is located at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2025 The trail will go through the park and then eventually connect to Pine Point Park, the current terminus of the trail. Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025 The lake helped stabilize the glacier terminus, retreat will accelerate after separation leading to further expansion of this rapidly growing lake. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 Ten years later, her name was put on display on North Richards Street from East Capitol Drive to its northern terminus, which includes Richards Street Armory, the home of her company. Sophia Tiedge, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025 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.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terminus. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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