Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

crested tern

noun

Definition of crested tern 

: great crested tern A big flock of crested terns is hunkered down on the shoreline. — Phil Skeggs, Advertiser (Australia), 7 Aug. 2010

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of crested tern

1824, in the meaning defined above

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about crested tern

Share crested tern

Statistics for crested tern

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for crested tern

The first known use of crested tern was in 1824

See more words from the same year

Comments on crested tern

What made you want to look up crested tern? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

repartee

amusing and light sparring with words

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Late Autumn 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

  • frosted-autumn-leaves
  • Which is a synonym of yahoo?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Bee Cubed

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games