Terminação

Terminação is a Portuguese noun that denotes the act or result of ending something, the final part of a sequence, or the conclusion of a process. The term derives from Latin terminatio and is used across diverse areas to indicate an end point, finish, or cessation.

In linguistics, terminação refers to the morfological endings attached to words that signal grammatical information. Verbal terminations indicate person, number, tense, mood, and voice (for example, endings such as -o, -as, -a, -amos, -am in Portuguese verbs). Noun and adjective terminations mark gender and number, and other parts of speech also bear endings that help define form and function within sentences.

In law and contracts, termination (terminação de contrato) designates the end of a contractual relationship. Termination can occur by expiration of the term, by mutual agreement, or by unilateral action such as breach or noncompliance. Effects typically include the dissolution of ongoing obligations, potential penalties, and the handling of refunds, deposits, or the transfer of responsibilities. The concept is also used in employment law to describe the end of an employment relationship, with categories such as resignation, dismissal with or without cause, and negotiated settlements.

In technology and computing, termination refers to the end of a process or program execution. It can occur when a program completes its task, is terminated by the operating system, or stops due to errors. In telecommunications and networking, termination can describe the point where a circuit, line, or call ends, or where signalling and protocols reach their endpoint.

Terminology related to termination appears across disciplines, always centering on the idea of an ending, closure, or final point.