interminal

Interminal is a term used in technical and academic discussions to describe something situated or occurring between terminal endpoints or terminal stages within a system. It is not a standardized term, and its precise meaning varies by field, making it a polysemous or context-dependent expression.

In computing and networking, interminal often refers to an intermediate layer or interface that connects terminal emulators to back-end services. It may describe middleware, bridging protocols, or translation services that operate between a local terminal and a remote resource. Because the term is not widely adopted in official specifications, its definition relies on the specific documentation in use.

In transportation and logistics, interminal can denote transfers or processes that occur between terminal facilities, such as moving cargo or passengers from one terminal to another within a single hub, or coordinating inter-terminal handoffs in airports or seaports.

In linguistics or morphology, interminal has occasionally appeared to describe phenomena located between terminal elements of a structure. This usage is uncommon, and many scholars prefer more established terms such as interterminal, medial, or bridging elements.

Etymology: formed from inter- meaning between and terminal meaning end or terminal point. Because it is not common in standard reference works, contributors should provide clear definitions when using the term. See also interterminal, inter-terminal, terminal, middleware.