late 14c., "authoritative resolution of a matter," from Old French terminacion (13c.) and directly from Latin terminationem (nominative terminatio) "a fixing of boundaries, a bounding, determining," noun of action from past participle stem 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.
