Arctic tern

American  

Or arctic tern

noun

1. a tern, Sterna paradisaea, resembling the common tern, that breeds in Arctic and north temperate regions and winters in Antarctic regions.

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arctic tern British  

noun

1. a black-capped tern, Sterna paradisea, that breeds in the Arctic and then migrates as far south as the Antarctic

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Etymology

Origin of Arctic tern

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

The new entries include the Arctic tern, known for its incredible migration, the giant skua, or pirate of the sea, and two types of gull.

From BBC • Sep. 2, 2024

He created a streamlined prototype modeled after the Arctic tern, a small, slow bird capable of flying uncanny distances without landing.

From New York Times • Apr. 16, 2022

The eVTOL is a curious, birdlike thing, which makes sense as it is modeled after the long-flight Arctic tern.

From Washington Post • Jan. 31, 2022

The number of Arctic tern and common tern chicks were among the lowest ever recorded.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2022

Snow buntings whirled around the house, an Arctic tern darted over the ocean, and the waves lapped the ice that was piled high on the shore.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George