c.1450, from L. terminationem (nom. terminatio) "a fixing of boundaries, bounding, determining," from terminatus, pp. of terminare "to limit, end" (see terminus). Meaning "end of a person's employment" is recorded from 1961; meaning "artificial end of a pregnancy" is attested from 1969; sense of "assasination" is recorded from 1975. Terminate "to bring to an end" is from 1615; sense of "to come to an end" is recorded from 1644; meaning "dismiss from a job" is recorded from 1973; that of "to assassinate" is from 1975.
Ter`mi*na"tion\, n. [L. terminatio a bounding, fixing, determining: cf. F. terminasion, OF. also termination. See Term.]1. The act of terminating, or of limiting or setting bounds; the act of ending or concluding; as, a voluntary termination of hostilities. 2. That which ends or bounds; limit in space or extent; bound; end; as, the termination of a line. 3. End in time or existence; as, the termination of the year, or of life; the termination of happiness. 4. End; conclusion; result. --Hallam. 5. Last purpose of design. [R.] 6. A word; a term. [R. & Obs.] --Shak. 7. (Gram.) The ending of a word; a final syllable or letter; the part added to a stem in inflection.
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