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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
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
There also may be an additional terminus located in west Orange County, staff said, with options being explored at Laguna Hills Transportation Center, Goldenwest Transportation Center and Newport Transportation Center.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 9 Mar. 2026
Barney Scout Mann hiked the PCT in 2007 and for nearly two decades provided support for hikers in San Diego, including hosting them at his house with his wife and driving them to the southern terminus.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
The sprawling home’s copper, bronze, and brass-glass facade, created by the Salt Lake City firm Upwall Design, immediately attracts eyes to the driveway’s terminus, where its trapezoidal design appears to next together like a Russian doll.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terminus
Cite this Entry
“Terminus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terminus. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terminus
noun
Medical Definition
terminus
noun
