Tern
Definition of Tern
Pronunciation:
tẽrn
n.
1.
(Zool.)
Any
one
of
numerous
species
of
long-winged
aquatic
birds
,
allied
to
the
gulls
,
and
belonging
to
Sterna
and
various
allied
genera
.
Hooded tern
See
Fairy
bird
,
under
Fairy
.
Marsh tern
any
tern
of
the
genus
Hydrochelidon
.
They
frequent
marshes
and
rivers
and
feed
largely
upon
insects
.
River tern
any
tern
belonging
to
Seëna
or
allied
genera
which
frequent
rivers
.
Sea tern
any
tern
of
the
genus
Thalasseus
.
Terns
of
this
genus
have
very
long
,
pointed
wings
,
and
chiefly
frequent
seas
and
the
mouths
of
large
rivers
.
a.
1.
Threefold
;
triple
;
consisting
of
three
;
ternate
.
Tern flowers
(Bot.)
flowers
growing
three
and
three
together
.
Tern leaves
(Bot.)
leaves
arranged
in
threes
,
or
three
by
three
,
or
having
three
in
each
whorl
or
set
.
Tern peduncles
(Bot.)
three
peduncles
growing
together
from
the
same
axis
.
Tern schooner
(Naut.)
a
three-masted
schooner
.
n.
1.
That
which
consists
of
,
or
pertains
to
,
three
things
or
numbers
together
;
especially
,
a
prize
in
a
lottery
resulting
from
the
favorable
combination
of
three
numbers
in
the
drawing
;
also
,
the
three
numbers
themselves
.
She
'
d
win
a
tern
in
Thursday
'
s
lottery
.
- Mrs. Browning.
Related Words
larid
,
sea
swallow
,
Sterna
hirundo
,
Sterninae
,
subfamily
Sterninae
Word:
Browse
Terminalia
Terminant
Terminate
Termination
Terminational
Terminative
Terminator
Terminatory
Termine
Terminer
Terminism
Terminist
Terminological
Terminology
Terminus
Termite
Termless
Termly
Termonology
Termor
-Tern-
Tern flowers
Tern leaves
Tern peduncles
Tern schooner
Ternary
Ternate
Terneplate
Ternion
Terpene
Terpentic
Terpenylic
Terpilene
Terpin
Terpinol
Terpsichore
Terpsichorean
Terra
Terra alba
Terra cotta
Terra di Sienna
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