mid-15c., "relating to or marking boundaries," from Latin terminalis "pertaining to a boundary or end, final," from terminus "end, boundary line" (see terminus). Meaning "fatal" (terminal illness) is first recorded 1891. Sense of "situated at the extreme end" (of something) is from 1805. Slang meaning "extreme" first recorded 1983. Related: Termninally.
terminal (n.)
"end point of a railway line," 1888, from terminal (adj.); sense of "device for communicating with a computer" is first recorded 1954. Earlier "final part of a word" (1831).
权威例句
1. He was eventually diagnosed as suffering from terminal cancer.
他最终被诊断出患了晚期癌症。
2. He made a round-trip to the terminal and back.
他到了终点,又折回来。
3. Carl sits at a computer terminal 40 hours a week.
卡尔每周在电脑终端前坐40个小时。
4. My own house feels as filthy and chaotic as a bus terminal.
我自家的房子感觉又脏又乱,活像公共汽车终点站。
5. He then soldered the wire to the telephone terminal.