Illustration of tern
: any of various chiefly marine birds (subfamily Sterninae of the family Laridae and especially genus Sterna) that differ from the related gulls in usually smaller size, a more slender build, a sharply pointed bill, narrower wings, and an often forked tail
Examples of tern in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The tern is in pursuit of the sun as it shifts over the Earth with the change in the seasons.
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Kate Siber, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025
Our guides make a towering bonfire as Arctic terns waltz above the cold, blue ocean.
—Chloe Berge, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
The adult tern flew tirelessly, looking for fish to feed its young, which patiently waited.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Nearby, Caspian terns, American avocets, and black skimmers rested on the beach, each in its own group.
—Joan Strassmann, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025
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Kate Siber, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025
Our guides make a towering bonfire as Arctic terns waltz above the cold, blue ocean.
—Chloe Berge, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
The adult tern flew tirelessly, looking for fish to feed its young, which patiently waited.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Nearby, Caspian terns, American avocets, and black skimmers rested on the beach, each in its own group.
—Joan Strassmann, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tern
Cite this Entry
“Tern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tern. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tern
noun
: any of numerous sea birds that often have a forked tail, black cap, and white or gray body and that in comparison to the related gulls have a smaller and slenderer body and bill and narrower wings
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