Terminator
/ˈtɜːrmɪneɪtər/
Definitions
2 meaningsOne who or that which ends or concludes something; often refers to a person or thing that brings about the destruction, failure, or ending of something.
/ˈtɜːrmɪneɪtər/
A person or thing that causes something to end.
The contract included a clause allowing the company to act as a terminator if performance targets were not met.
💡 Simply: Imagine a robot whose job is to stop things. Or, a person who is really good at closing things down, like getting rid of extra stuff. The word is used for people or things that signal an end.
👶 For kids: Someone or something that stops something from happening or that brings something to an end.
More Examples
The judge declared the defendant a terminator and set his bail at $50,000.
The police officer was a terminator in the city, arresting criminals.
The new software update has a terminator function to delete all unsaved work if the program crashes.
How It's Used
"The new CEO was known as a tough terminator, streamlining the company by eliminating redundancies."
"The cyborg assassin from the future was a terrifying terminator."
The line separating the illuminated portion and the dark portion of a planet or other celestial body.
/ˈtɜːrmɪneɪtər/
The boundary of daylight and darkness on a celestial body.
The astronauts observed the terminator as they orbited the Earth.
💡 Simply: It's like the dividing line between day and night on a planet, like on the moon. One side has sunlight, and the other is dark.
👶 For kids: The line on a planet where it goes from light to dark.
More Examples
The space probe captured images of the terminator as it approached the planet.
Astronomers use the terminator to measure the size of a planet's shadow.
The terminator changes position as the planet rotates.
How It's Used
"During a lunar eclipse, the terminator on the Moon becomes a dark, curved line."
"Scientists study the terminator on Mars to understand the planet's atmosphere."
Idioms & expressions
Terminator (franchise)
Refers to the series of science fiction films featuring a cyborg assassin.
"The Terminator franchise is a classic example of science fiction cinema."
From Latin *terminare* ('to end, limit'), which evolved through Middle English and Old French, referring to one who or that which brings to an end, a boundary, or a limit. The science fiction usage, popularized by the *Terminator* film franchise, is a later development.
The word 'terminator' predates the science fiction films, originally referring to someone or something that brings about an end or limit, as seen in legal and business contexts, and scientific contexts. The film usage popularized it for a robotic assassin.
Memory tip
Think of a robot in a movie, designed to end things.
Word Origin
"To end, limit"