LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

terminus1

terminus m (genitive terminī)
Classical[ˈtɛr.mɪ.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈtɛr.mi.nus]

Meaning

  1. masculinea boundary, limit, end
  2. Medieval Latinmasculineword, term, definition
  3. Medieval Latinmasculinedue date, a time to convene
  4. Medieval Latinmasculinemode, wise, fashion, manner
  5. masculineterm or period of time (as for example of probation)

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Finis · Terminus · Limes

Finis (from φθίνω) denotes a boundary, as a mathematical line, like τέλος; terminus and limes, a mark, as the material sign of a boundary; terminus (τειρόμενος, τέρμα,) a stone set up, as the sign of a bounding point, like τέρμα; limes, a ridge, as the sign of a bounding line, like ὅρος. Cic. Læl. 16. Constituendi sunt qui sint in amicitia fines et quasi termini diligendi. Hor. Carm. ii. 18, 24. Revellis agri terminos et ultra limites clientium salis avarus. (iv. 359.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeterminusterminī
termina
genitiveterminīterminōrum
dativeterminōterminīs
terminibus
accusativeterminumterminōs
termina
ablativeterminōterminīs
terminibus
vocativetermineterminī
termina

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

terminis circumscribere aliquid
to set bounds to a thing, limit it.
imperium orbis terrarum terminis definitur
the empire reaches to the ends of the world.

termĭnus, i, m. (collat. form termo, ōnis, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 363 Müll., or Ann. v. 470 and 471 Vahl.; and termen, ĭnis, n., acc. to Varr. L. L. 5, § 21 Müll.; so,
I. (BTERMINA DVO STANT, Inscr. Orell. 3121) [Sanscr. root tar-, overcome; tīrain, shore, edge; Gr. τέρμα, goal; τέρμων, border; cf. trans, in-trare], a boundary-line, boundary, bound, limit (syn.: finis, limes, meta).
I. Lit., of local boundaries: contentio de terminis, Cic. Ac. 2, 43, 132: agrorum, Plin. 18, 2, 2, § 8; Hor. C. 2, 18, 24: templi, Liv. 45, 5, 7: urbis, Tac. A. 12, 23; 12, 24 fin.: possessionum, Cic. Mil. 27, 74: vicinitatis, id. Rab. Perd. 3, 8: Alexandria, in terminis Africae et Aegypti condita, Just. 21, 6, 3.—Comically, = membrum virile, Pompon. ap. Non. 146, 24 (Com. Fragm. v. 126 Rib.).— Hence,
B. Personified: Termĭnus, the deity presiding over boundaries, Ov. F. 2, 639 sq.; Varr. L. L. 5, 10, 22; Liv. 1, 55, 3; 5, 54, 7; Hor. C. S. 27; Lact. 1, 20, 38; Fest. p. 368; Serv. ad Verg. A. 9, 448. —
II. Transf., in gen., a bound, limit, end, term: constituendi sunt, qui sint in amicitiā fines, ut quasi termini diligendi, Cic. Lael. 16, 56; cf.: certos mihi fines terminosque constituam, id. Quint. 10, 35: oratoris facultatem non illius artis terminis, sed ingeni sui finibus describere, id. de Or. 1, 49, 214: contentionum, id. Fam. 6, 22, 2: nullis terminis circumscribere aut definire jus suum, id. de Or. 1, 16, 70: Pompeius, cujus res gestae atque virtutes isdem quibus solis cursus regionibus ac terminis continentur, id. Cat. 4, 10, 21: omnium aetatum certus est terminus, senectutis autem nullus est certus terminus, id. Sen. 20, 72: vitae, id. Rab. Perd. 10, 29: pangere terminos, id. Leg. 1, 21, 56: termini egestatis, Plaut. As. 1, 2, 13: hos terminos dignitati statuo, Plin. Ep. 6, 29, 3.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *term(e)nos, from Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥ (“boundary”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τέρμα (térma, “a goal”), τέρμων (térmōn, “a border”). Synchronically a thematicized variant of the rare synonym termen, which was directly inherited from the PIE word, and so equivalent to termen + -us. The synonym termō is, like Ancient Greek τέρμων (térmōn), from the collective form *térmō.

Elsewhere
  • Englishterminus
  • Frenchterminusfrom English terminus
  • GermanTermin
  • GermanTerminus
  • Englishtermonfrom Middle Irish termonn
  • Portuguesetérmino
  • Romanianterminus
  • Romaniantermen
  • Spanishtérmino
  • Bulgarianте́рмин
Insular Romance
  • Sardiniantrèmena
  • Sardiniantrèmene
  • Sardiniantrèmmene
  • Sardiniantrèmini
  • Sardiniantrèmmini
Southern Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanterme
  • Catalantermin
  • Occitantèrme
  • Occitantèrmi
Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchtermefrom Old French terme
  • Englishtermfrom Old French terme
  • Valdôtaintèrmofrom Franco-Provençal tèrmeno
  • Valdôtaintèrmanfrom Franco-Provençal tèrmeno
  • Valdôtaintèrmeofrom Franco-Provençal tèrmeno
  • Valdôtaintarmêyofrom Franco-Provençal tèrmeno
  • Irishtéarmafrom Old French terme
Balkano-Romance
  • Romanianțărm
Italo-Romance
  • Italiantermine
  • Neapolitantérmete
  • Siciliantermini
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesetermofrom Old Galician-Portuguese termĩo
  • Aragonesetermi
  • Galiciantermofrom Old Galician-Portuguese termĩo
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliantiármit
  • Ladinterminn
  • Ladintermin
Gallo-Italic
  • Liguriantèrmi
  • Liguriantèrme
  • Liguriantèima
  • Ossolanotermofrom Lombard termen
  • Ossolanotermifrom Lombard termen
  • Ossolanotermignfrom Lombard termen
  • Piedmontesetermo
  • Piedmonteseterme
  • Piedmontesetermon

In English words that came into English from terminus

  • termterminus
  • terminalterminalis
  • terminationterminationem
  • terminateterminātus
  • terminologyterminologia
  • determinedetermino
  • terminusterminus
  • terminatorterminator
  • exterminateexterminātus
  • determinatedēterminātus
  • coterminousconterminus
  • interminableinterminābilis
  • conterminalconterminus
  • terminizeterminus
  • alloterminterminus
  • terminalianterminus
  • terminetermino
  • determinansdētermināns
  • termonterminus
  • terminantterminans
proper noun · masculinesecond declension
Terminus2
Terminus m sg (genitive Terminī)
Classical[ˈtɛr.mɪ.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈtɛr.mi.nus]

Meaning

  1. Romanmasculinesingularthe deity presiding over boundaries; a personification of the term terminus (“a boundary, a limit”)

Origins

Proprialisation of terminus (“a boundary, a limit”).

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

Biography & mythologyTerminusTerminus. a Roman divinity presiding over boundaries and frontiers. His worship is said to have been instituted by Numa who ordered that every one sho…

Quick answers

What does terminus mean in Latin?
terminus, a noun, means “a boundary, limit, end; word, term, definition; due date, a time to convene”.
What is the genitive of terminus?
The genitive singular is terminī. terminus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce terminus?
In classical Latin, [ˈtɛr.mɪ.nʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈtɛr.mi.nus].
Which English words come from terminus?
English words that go back to Latin terminus include term, terminus, terminize, allotermin, terminalian and termon.