tern

noun

ˈtərn 

: 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

Illustration of tern

Examples of tern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The seabirds that make this annual migration to breed also include cliff-nesting birds such as razorbills, guillemots, and kittiwakes, ground nesting birds such as terns (Arctic, Common and Roseate), and the endangered puffins. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 May 2025

Little terns, a small seabird, travel hundreds or even thousands of miles across the ocean to land on the beaches of Australia to breed. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 7 May 2025

According to Eustis the spill threatens a range of species including black terns, bottlenose dolphins, larval yellowfin tuna, marsh birds, spring pogies, and young fish migrating into the estuaries for spring growth. —Dan Ruetenik, CBS News, 2 May 2025

After a successful nesting season drew over 200 endangered fairy terns, something began to go wrong. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish terne tern

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tern

• arctic tern
• least tern
• roseate tern
• sooty tern

Rhymes for tern

• churns
• earns
• ferns
• kerns
• learns
• spurns
• sterns
• terns
• turns
• yearns
• adjourns
• concerns

Kids Definition

tern

noun

ˈtərn 

: 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