Terminus
[tər-mən-əs]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, mid-16th century
1.
A final point in space or time; an end or extremity.
2.
The end of a railroad or other transportation route, or a station at such a point; a terminal.
Examples of Terminus in a sentence
"The terminus of the highway construction is scheduled for April 2024."
"Take the subway to the terminus, and I'll meet you there."
About Terminus
You might recognize the adjective "terminal," meaning "situated at the end," but "terminus" is the noun form. Use this word to distinguish an end point, either in space or time. It's a handy word to pull out at the end of a party: "This is the terminus. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."
Did you Know?
Another usage of "terminus" is as a name for a specific architectural feature. In that case, a terminus is a figure of a human bust or an animal, ending in a square pillar from which it appears to spring. These features were originally used as boundary markers in ancient Rome.
