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

Cayle Tern, president of the Iu Mien Association of Oregon, arrived in Portland with his family in 1980, when he was 3 years old.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 29, 2024

Helen Morgan said a constituent from Clive Barracks, in Tern Hill, had told her there were up to 40 units at the site.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2023

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

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2023

But the Arctic Tern was still there, falling.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

Related Words

• vessel
• yacht