terminates

Terminates is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb terminate. It means to bring something to an end or to conclude; to discontinue something that has been ongoing. The term can refer to the ending of a contract, agreement, lease, employment, program, or process, and it can describe a natural or planned conclusion. In everyday use, terminates often implies a definite end decided by a rule, policy, or agreement. In legal and business contexts, termination may be formalized by an agreement, notice, or clause, and it can have consequences for rights and obligations.

In computing, to terminate a process or a session means to stop its execution. An operating system may terminate processes automatically or in response to user commands; in some systems a distinction is drawn between a graceful termination and a forceful termination.

Etymology: terminate comes from Latin terminare, from terminus meaning end, with the suffix -ate to form verbs; the noun termination derives from the same root. The sense of ending is preserved across languages with related terms.

Examples: The lease terminates on December 31. The program terminates when the user logs out. The agreement terminates automatically if conditions are unmet.

See also: terminate (verb), termination, terminable.