: 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
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Examples of tern in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebThe species nests along the coast of New York, along with other shorebirds, including piping plovers, terns and black skimmers.—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 July 2024 Do not build campfires or bonfires, light off fireworks, or fly kites on beaches where plovers and terns nest.—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2024 Professional Honorable Mention: Forster’s Tern Kevin Lohman found a group of Forster’s terns diving into a lake in Mountain View, California, often emerging from its depths with small fish.—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 June 2024 One of them had the feathers of a young tern in its stomach.—Benji Jones, Vox, 21 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for tern
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tern.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
: 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
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