tern

¹ American  

[turn] / tɜrn /

noun

1. any of numerous aquatic birds of the subfamily Sterninae of the family Laridae, related to the gulls but usually having a more slender body and bill, smaller feet, a long, deeply forked tail, and a more graceful flight, especially those of the genus Sterna, as S. hirundo common tern, of Eurasia and America, having white, black, and gray plumage.

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tern ² American  

[turn] / tɜrn /

noun

1. a set of three.

2. three winning numbers drawn together in a lottery.

3. a prize won by drawing these.

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tern ¹ British  

/ tɜːn /

noun

1. a three-masted schooner

2. rare a group of three

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tern ² British  

/ tɜːn /

noun

1. any aquatic bird of the subfamily Sterninae, having a forked tail, long narrow wings, a pointed bill, and a typically black-and-white plumage: family Laridae (gulls, etc), order Charadriiformes

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Etymology

Origin of tern¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from Danish terne or Norwegian terna; cognate with Old Norse therna

Origin of tern²

1300–50; Middle English terne < Middle French < Italian terno < Latin ternus, singular of ternī three each, triad, akin to ter thrice; see three

Explanation

A tern is a small seabird with a long tail. Most terns are white or light gray, and they're found on every single continent. Many terns are migratory, flying thousands of miles every year—in fact, Arctic terns may fly as many as 43,000 miles during their annual migration. Terns are a type of gull, with a small, slender body, forked tail, and narrow wings. The Old English word for this type of bird was stearn, and the roots of tern can be traced back to a Scandinavian source.

Example Sentences

In the early phase study, the Tern drug does it better, with fewer side effects and no need to avoid certain foods.

From Barron's • Dec. 9, 2025

The programme is produced for BBC Scotland by the independent production company Tern TV.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2024

Home base: Nan Pierce calls her palatial rural estate Tern Haven.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2023

The contract truck left a processing center in Anchorage and caught fire near Mile 38 of the Seward Highway, or just north of the intersection of the Seward and Sterling highways, near Tern Lake.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2022

The sailors on the Empire Tern, which was painted a dull white but had rust streaks all over her, waved back at us and held up their fingers in a V-for-victory sign.

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor

Related Words

• vessel
• yacht