
A terminal is the point at which a conductor from a component, device or network comes to an end. Terminal may also refer to an electrical connector at this endpoint, acting as the reusable interface to a conductor and creating a point where external circuits can be connected. A terminal may simply be the end of a wire or it may be fitted with a connector or fastener.
All electrochemical cells have two terminals (electrodes) which are referred to as the anode and cathode or positive (+) and negative (-). On many dry batteries, the positive terminal (cathode) is a protruding metal cap and the negative terminal (anode) is a flat metal disc (see Battery terminal). In a galvanic cell such as a common AA battery, electrons flow from the negative terminal to the positive terminal, while the conventional current is opposite to this.