Jump To:

• Arctic tern
  Arctic tern

  noun

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

  noun

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

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.

---

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

---

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

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

During its lifetime, the typical Arctic tern flies about 1.8 million miles — the same distance as four trips from the Earth to the moon and back.

From The Guardian • Jun. 11, 2016

“You know,” she said, “if I close my eyes, I could almost be an Arctic tern flying over the water.”

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt