The difference between Initial and Terminal

When used as nouns, initial means the first letter of a word or a name, whereas terminal means a building in an airport where passengers transfer from ground transportation to the facilities that allow them to board airplanes.

When used as verbs, initial means to sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature, whereas terminal means to store bulk liquids (such as oil or chemicals) in storage tanks prior to further distribution.

When used as adjectives, initial means chronologically first, early, whereas terminal means fatal.


check bellow for the other definitions of Initial and Terminal

  1. Initial as an adjective:

    Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.

    Examples:

    "Our initial admiration for their efficiency gave way to disgust about their methods."

    "The initial stages of a syndrome may differ vastly from the final symptoms."

  2. Initial as an adjective:

    Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.

    Examples:

    "The initial letter of names is usually printed with a capital letter."

  1. Initial as a noun:

    The first letter of a word or a name.

  2. Initial as a noun:

    In plural, the first letter of each word of a person's full name considered as a unit.

    Examples:

    "You can get your initials printed at the top."

  3. Initial as a noun (typesetting, calligraphy):

    A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.

  4. Initial as a noun (phonology):

    onset, part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus in phonetics and phonology.

  1. Initial as a verb (transitive):

    To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.

    Examples:

    "Please initial each page and sign the contract in full at the bottom."

  1. Terminal as a noun:

    A building in an airport where passengers transfer from ground transportation to the facilities that allow them to board airplanes.

  2. Terminal as a noun:

    A harbour facility where ferries embark and disembark passengers and load and unload vehicles.

  3. Terminal as a noun:

    A rail station where service begins and ends; the end of the line. For example: Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

  4. Terminal as a noun:

    A rate charged on all freight, regardless of distance, and supposed to cover the expenses of station service, as distinct from mileage rate, generally proportionate to the distance and intended to cover movement expenses.

  5. Terminal as a noun:

    A town lying at the end of a railroad, in which the terminal is located; more properly called a terminus.

  6. Terminal as a noun:

    A storage tank for bulk liquids (such as oil or chemicals) prior to further distribution.

  7. Terminal as a noun (electronics):

    the end of a line where signals are either transmitted or received, or a point along the length of a line where the signals are made available to apparatus.

  8. Terminal as a noun:

    An electric contact on a battery.

  9. Terminal as a noun (telecommunications):

    The apparatus to send and/or receive signals on a line, such as a telephone or network device.

  10. Terminal as a noun (computing):

    A device for entering data into a computer or a communications system and/or displaying data received, especially a device equipped with a keyboard and some sort of textual display.

  11. Terminal as a noun (computing):

    A computer program that emulates a physical terminal.

  12. Terminal as a noun (computing theory):

    A terminal symbol in a formal grammar.

  13. Terminal as a noun (biology):

    The end ramification (of an axon, etc.) or one of the extremities of a polypeptid.

  1. Terminal as an adjective:

    Fatal; resulting in death.

    Examples:

    "terminal cancer"

  2. Terminal as an adjective:

    Appearing at the end; top or apex of a physical object.

  3. Terminal as an adjective:

    Occurring at the end of a word, sentence, or period of time.

  4. Terminal as an adjective (archaic):

    Occurring every term; termly.

    Examples:

    "a student's terminal fees"

  1. Terminal as a verb:

    To store bulk liquids (such as oil or chemicals) in storage tanks prior to further distribution.