- termination
- 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.