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ternmore about tern

tern

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tern  \Tern\  (t[~e]rn),  n.  [Dan.  terne,  t[ae]rne;  akin  to  Sw 
  t["a]rna,  Icel.  [thorn]erna;  cf  NL  sterna.]  (Zo["o]l.) 
  Any  one  of  numerous  species  of  long-winged  aquatic  birds, 
  allied  to  the  gulls,  and  belonging  to  {Sterna}  and  various 
  allied  genera. 
 
  Note:  Terns  differ  from  gulls  chiefly  in  their  graceful  form 
  in  their  weaker  and  more  slender  bills  and  feet,  and 
  their  longer  and  more  pointed  wings.  The  tail  is 
  usually  forked.  Most  of  the  species  are  white  with  the 
  back  and  wings  pale  gray,  and  often  with  a  dark  head. 
  The  common  European  tern  ({Sterna  hirundo})  is  found 
  also  in  Asia  and  America.  Among  other  American  species 
  are  the  arctic  tern  ({S.  paradis[ae]a}),  the  roseate 
  tern  ({S.  Dougalli}),  the  least  tern  ({S.  Antillarum}), 
  the  royal  tern  ({S.  maxima}),  and  the  sooty  tern  ({S. 
  fuliginosa}). 
 
  {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  {Se["e]na}  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tern  \Tern\,  a.  [L.  pl  terni  three  each  three  akin  to  tres 
  three  See  {Three},  and  cf  {Trine}.] 
  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tern  \Tern\,  n.  [F.  terne.  See  {Tern},  a.] 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  tern 
  n  :  small  slender  gull  having  narrow  wings  and  a  forked  tail




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