The word terminator is from Latin and means roughly the finisher.
In astronomy, the terminator is the line between the day side and the night side of a planetary body. Examination of the terminator can yield information about the surface of the body; for example, a fuzzy terminator indicates the presence of an atmosphere. On Earth, sunrise and sunset are the result of passing through the terminator each day.
The Terminator is an American motion picture involving a cyborg that has been sent back through time to "terminate" or kill a woman whose life will have importance in the future.