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terminal

TUR-min-ul /ˈtɜːrmɪnl/

nounB2

generaltechnical

A device, typically electronic, at which a user interacts with a computer or system, such as a point-of-sale device for processing payments.

In the context of retail, it specifically refers to the machine where you swipe, insert, or tap your card to pay. It can also refer to an airport terminal or a computer terminal.

The story behind the word. The word 'terminal' comes from the Latin 'terminus', meaning 'end, boundary, limit'. This root gave us words related to endings. In the context of technology, a 'terminal' is an endpoint device where data or transactions begin or end, serving as the boundary between the user and the larger system.

Word relationships

reader: More specific to the part of the terminal that reads the card.
device: Broader, less specific.

Commonly confused with

register: A 'register' (cash register) is the entire unit for sales and cash; a 'terminal' is specifically the device for processing electronic payments, often part of a larger register system.

Word family

terminate (verb): To bring to an end.
termination (noun): The act of terminating or being terminated.

Collocations

payment terminal
POS terminal
card terminal
airport terminal
computer terminal

Example sentences

"The customer inserted her credit card into the payment terminal." At the checkout counter.
"The store upgraded all its point-of-sale terminals to accept contactless payments." Modernizing a store's payment system.
"Please follow the instructions displayed on the terminal screen to complete your purchase." A common instruction.

Memory hook

Think of a 'TERM-inal' as the 'TERM-inus' or end point where your payment journey concludes. End point device

When not to use

Do not use 'terminal' to refer to any computer or screen; it implies a specific function as an endpoint for data input/output or transactions.

Fun facts

The term 'terminal' in computing originally referred to a 'dumb terminal' – a device with a keyboard and screen but no processing power, connected to a mainframe computer.