Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Terminal \Ter"mi*nal\, a. (Railroads)
   Pertaining to a railroad terminal; connected with the receipt
   or delivery of freight; as, terminal charges.

Terminal \Ter"mi*nal\, n. (Railroads)
   (a) The end of a line of railroad, with the switches,
       stations, sheds, and other appliances pertaining thereto.
   (b) Any station for the delivery or receipt of freight lying
       too far from the main line to be served by mere sidings.
   (c) A rate charged on all freight, independent of the
       distance, and supposed to cover the expenses of station
       service, as distinct from {mileage rate}, generally
       proportionate to the distance and intended to cover
       movement expenses; a terminal charge.
   (d) A town lying at the end of a railroad; -- more properly
       called a {terminus}.

Terminal \Ter"mi*nal\ (-nal), a. [L. terminals: cf. F. terminal.
   See {Term}, n.]
   1. Of or pertaining to the end or extremity; forming the
      extremity; as, a terminal edge.

   2. (Bot.) Growing at the end of a branch or stem;
      terminating; as, a terminal bud, flower, or spike.

   {Terminal moraine}. See the Note under {Moraine}.

   {Terminal statue}. See {Terminus}, n., 2 and 3.

   {Terminal velocity}.
      (a) The velocity acquired at the end of a body's motion.
      (b) The limit toward which the velocity of a body
          approaches, as of a body falling through the air.

Terminal \Ter"mi*nal\, n.
   1. That which terminates or ends; termination; extremity.

   2. (Eccl.) Either of the ends of the conducting circuit of an
      electrical apparatus, as an inductorium, dynamo, or
      electric motor, usually provided with binding screws for
      the attachment of wires by which a current may be conveyed
      into or from the machine; a pole.

Source : WordNet®

terminal
     n 1: station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers
          or goods [syn: {terminus}, {depot}]
     2: a contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at
        which electric current enters or leaves [syn: {pole}]
     3: electronic equipment consisting of a device providing access
        to a computer; has a keyboard and display

terminal
     adj 1: being or situated at an end; "the endmost pillar"; "terminal
            buds on a branch"; "a terminal station"; "the terminal
            syllable" [syn: {endmost}]
     2: of or relating to or situated at the ends of a delivery
        route; "freight pickup is a terminal service"; "terminal
        charges"
     3: relating to or occurring in a term or fixed period of time;
        "terminal examinations"; "terminal payments"
     4: occurring at or forming an end or termination; "his
        concluding words came as a surprise"; "the final chapter";
        "the last days of the dinosaurs"; "terminal leave" [syn: {concluding},
         {final}, {last}]
     5: causing or ending in or approaching death; "a terminal
        patient"; "terminal cancer"

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

terminal
     
        1.  An electronic or electromechanical device for
        entering data into a computer or a communications system and
        displaying data received.  Early terminals were called
        {teletype}s, later ones {VDU}s.  Typically a terminal
        communicates with the computer via a {serial line}.
     
        2.  The end of a {line} where signals are either
        transmitted or received, or a point along the length of a line
        where the signals are made available to apparatus.
     
        3.  Apparatus to send and/or receive signals on a
        {line}.
     
        (1995-10-02)