terminally

Everyday

1. Terminally ill means having an illness that cannot be cured and will lead to death. tree →
2. (informal, joking) Terminally means extremely or hopelessly: "He's terminally lazy." "terminally boring". tree →

In the lessons

In health and life lessons, and sometimes in family life, children may hear that a relative is terminally ill; hospices care for such people and help them be comfortable. The word is serious and should be used gently. The joking sense is used in everyday talk and reviews. Phrases: "terminally ill", "terminally boring", "terminally uncool".

Examples

• Grandad was terminally ill, so he stayed in a hospice. tree →
• Nurses help terminally ill patients feel calm and free from pain. tree →
• The charity raises money for terminally ill children. tree →
• The film was terminally boring. (informal) tree →
• My uncle is terminally late for everything. (joking) tree →
• When she was terminally ill, her family visited every day. tree →
• Doctors told the family gently that he was terminally ill. tree →

Note

From "terminal" (the end). Be careful: the joking sense can sound unkind near people who are really ill. "Terminal" also means a station or airport building, or a computer screen and keyboard.