terminator
terminator Lexical Profile
terminator Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person or thing that brings something to an end or terminates a process.
"The new regulation acted as an effective terminator of the outdated licensing practice."
In astronomy, the dividing line between the illuminated (day) and unilluminated (night) parts of a planetary body or moon.
"Lunar craters and mountain ridges cast long, dramatic shadows near the terminator."
In genetics, a specific sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that marks the end of a gene or operon and signals the cessation of transcription.
"RNA polymerase detaches from the DNA template once it reaches the transcription terminator."
In electronics and computing, a device attached to the end of a transmission line, bus, or cable to absorb signals and prevent reflections, or a character marking the end of a data string.
"The technician installed a 50-ohm coaxial terminator at the open end of the network cable."
• Rhymes for terminator
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin terminator ('one who bounds or limits'), an agent noun from Latin terminare ('to set bounds to, end'), from terminus ('boundary, end'). The astronomical sense referring to the dividing line between light and shadow on the Moon dates from the late 17th century.