It's difficult to attribute the discovery of terminal velocity to a single person. The concept developed gradually through the work of many scientists and thinkers over time.

Here's a breakdown of how the understanding of terminal velocity evolved:

* Ancient Philosophers: Early thinkers like Aristotle had rudimentary ideas about falling objects and how they were affected by the medium they fell through. However, their ideas lacked a rigorous mathematical framework.

* Galileo Galilei: In the 17th century, Galileo conducted experiments and made observations about falling objects, paving the way for a more scientific understanding of motion. He established that objects fall at the same rate regardless of mass (in a vacuum), but he did not explicitly address the concept of terminal velocity.

* Isaac Newton: Newton's laws of motion and gravity provided a fundamental framework for understanding how forces affect motion. While Newton didn't specifically use the term "terminal velocity," his work laid the groundwork for later researchers to explore this concept.

* 19th Century Scientists: Scientists like George Gabriel Stokes and others began to mathematically model the forces acting on objects falling through fluids, including drag. This work led to the development of equations that describe the relationship between terminal velocity, drag, and other factors.

* Early 20th Century: The concept of terminal velocity became more widely understood and applied in various fields, particularly in aeronautics and engineering.

Therefore, it's more accurate to say that the concept of terminal velocity emerged from a gradual process of scientific inquiry and development, involving contributions from numerous individuals over several centuries.