Etymograph

English

termination

Termination comes from Latin terminātiō ‘termination (the last part (or morpheme) of a…’, from terminō ‘to finish, end’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*térmn̥‘boundary, end’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*termn̥‘boundary stone’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*term(e)nos‘boundary stone’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEterminus‘bound, limit’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEterminō‘to finish, end’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEterminātiōas terminationem‘termination (the last part (or morpheme) of a word)’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1598–1599termination

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*térmn̥‘boundary, end’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*termn̥‘boundary stone’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*term(e)nos‘boundary stone’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEterminus‘bound, limit’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEterminō‘to finish, end’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEterminātiōas terminationem‘termination (the last part (or morpheme) of a word)’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1598–1599termination

Earliest quotation: 1598–1599, Much Adoe about Nothing: “She speaks poniards, and every word stabs: if her…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ter- ‘tender, weak’

thrill, intrigue, treachery, thro, inextricable, 32 more

through Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥ ‘boundary, end’

tram, 26 more

through Latin terminus ‘bound, limit’

terminology, 25 more

through Latin terminō ‘to finish, end’

determinism, interminable, determinate, 10 more

Today it means

noun The process of terminating or the state of being terminated.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥ / termination

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