Meanings
termon1
plural termons
- IrelandhistoricalAn area of land belonging to a church or monastery
Hugh MacMahon out of the way, he in October 1591 partitioned Monaghan (with the exception of Donnamyne, which belonged to the Earl of Essex) among the principal gentlemen of the MacMahons, the termon or ecclesiastical lands being reserved for English officials.
c. 1900, Robert Dunlop, Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900 : Fitzwilliam, William (1526-1599)1 more example
Another time, when Patrick was at rest in the end of night, at Tiprad-Cernai, in Tir-Tipraid, the angel went to him and awoke him. Patrick said to him: "Is there anything in which I have offended God, or is His anger upon me?" "No," said the angel; "and you are informed from God," added the angel, "if it is it you desire, that there shall be no share for any else in Eriu, but for you alone. And the extent of the termon of your see from God is to Droma-Bregh, and to Sliabh-Mis, and to Bri-Airghi."
1874, James O'Leary translating Saint Patrick, Tripartite LifeSynonyms: termon land
Termon2
- uncountableboundary of the monastic grounds, generally marked by a stone cross
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn area of land belonging to a church or monastery
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*terh₂-?
- Proto-Indo-European*ter-?
- Proto-Indo-European*térmn̥
- Proto-Italic*termn̥
- Proto-Italic*term(e)nos
- Latinterminus
- Middle Irishtermonn
- Irishtearmann
- Englishtermon
From Irish tearmann, from Middle Irish termonn (“church land affording right of sanctuary”), from Latin terminus (“limit”). Doublet of term and terminus.
More words from Irish, Middle Irish, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
termon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/termon
“termon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/termon. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “termon,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/termon.
Source: termon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.