terminus

 
Pronunciation: /ˈtəːmɪnəs/

noun (plural termini /-nʌɪ/ or terminuses)

  • 1chiefly British the end of a railway or other transport route, or a station at such a point; a terminal.
  • an oil or gas terminal.
  • 2a final point in space or time; an end or extremity: the exhibition’s terminus is 1962
  • Biochemistry the end of a polypeptide or polynucleotide chain or similar long molecule.
  • 3 Architecture a figure of a human bust or an animal ending in a square pillar from which it appears to spring, originally used as a boundary marker in ancient Rome.

Origin:

mid 16th century (in the sense 'final point in space or time'): from Latin, 'end, limit, boundary'

Spelling help

The plural of terminus can be spelled either termini (like the original Latin) or terminuses.