terminally

[tur-muh-nl-ee]

adverb

1. in a way that leads or is expected to lead shortly to death; fatally or lethally.

   We offer care and support for terminally ill people and their families through home nursing.

2. Informal.,  in a way that is beyond hope or rescue.

   I skipped her much-hyped interview with the terminally dull host of that new talk show.

3. at the end.

   In the remark “Pretty hot today, eh?” the terminally positioned tag “eh?” invites agreement.

4. Botany.,  at the end of a branch or stem.

   The plant has flower clusters 10–20 mm in diameter, which are located terminally.

5. Biology.,  at the conclusion of the process of modification from a stem cell.

   The cells terminally differentiate as they migrate from the basal layer of the epidermis to the surface.

Other Word Forms

• nonterminally adverb
• subterminally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of terminally¹

terminal ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Parliament is currently considering whether to change the law to allow assisted dying in England and Wales, which would apply to certain terminally ill patients reasonably expected to die within six months.

From BBC

Or when a nurse administers a painful treatment to a terminally ill patient, knowing it is not likely to change the patient’s ultimate fate in any way.

From Salon

But speaking to BBC News, Lord Falconer said: "The Commons has decided that there should be assisted dying as an option for those who are terminally ill. We should respect that decision."

From BBC

Hurst was terminally ill at the time of his deposition, the complaint notes, and died by the end of the year before an evidentiary hearing.

From Los Angeles Times

In a brand new unexplained technology, Kavalier uploads the consciousness of terminally ill children into adult synthetic bodies, creating a human-robot hybrid.

From Los Angeles Times