a. (sb.) Now rare or Obs. [ad. L. terminānt-em, pr. pple. of termināre to TERMINATE.]
1. Terminating, concluding, final. Also as sb. A final syllable, termination, terminal.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. viii. (Arb.), 94. If one should rime to this word (Restore) he may not match him with (Doore) or (Poore) for neither of both are of like terminant, either by good orthography or in naturall sound. Ibid., 95. Gower … to make vp his rime would … write his terminant sillable with false orthographie. Ibid., III. xvi. 185. Your clauses in prose should neither finish with the same nor with the like terminants.
† 2. Determining, defining. Obs.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1044. The terminant and defining power loveth the universall and indivisible.
a. 1610. Healey, Theophrastus (1636), To Rdr. There being certaine properties almost in every language, which cannot, word for word, in terms terminant be expressed in another.
