terminator
Americannoun
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a person or thing that terminates.
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Astronomy. the dividing line between the illuminated and the unilluminated part of a satellite or planet, especially the moon.
noun
Etymology
Origin of terminator
1760–70; < Late Latin terminātor, equivalent to terminā ( re ) to terminate + -tor -tor
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the 1984 James Cameron film, The Terminator, all events are treated as fixed.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
"The worst-case situation would be that AI kills us all, I suppose," Musk declared with a smile, seizing an opening from his own attorney to invoke the climactic scenario from the film "Terminator."
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
Some of students spoke of their surprise to see the Terminator star in their university.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
The Terminator fears from a year ago are heard no more.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
“Well, I like scary movies, like Friday the 13th, or anything with Arnold Schwarzenegger in it, like The Terminator or Predator.”
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
