tern

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“
Jack-o'-lan'tern, a light seen in low, moist grounds, which disappears when approached.

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Definitions (50)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun Any of various sea birds of the genus Sterna and related genera, related to and resembling the gulls but characteristically smaller and having a forked tail.
  2. noun Games A set of three, especially a combination of three numbers that wins a lottery.
  3. noun A three-masted schooner.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (43)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

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Examples (50)

  • Supporting the biologist's efforts to rectify a human caused problem remains the best choice with the tern issue. —  BlueOregon
  • -- Roseate tern: A medium-sized tern, it is primarily a tropical bird but reaches into some temperate zones. —  PNJ - News
  • I don't think pets grow in power naturally as they do in Nethack so they tend not to be useful in the long-tern, but they make good cannon fodder. —  GameSetWatch
  • The common tern is a familiar sight on the fence not far from where you're staying. —  Bangkokpost.com : Breaking News
  • The large sooty tern, the graceful tropic bird, and the spruce, fierce-looking man-of-war's hawk, with his crimson bill, and black flashing eye, flew familiarly around us, frequently coming so near, that we could easily have knocked them down with our cutlasses, had we been inclined to abuse, so wantonly, the confidence which they seemed to repose in us When half-way across the point, I came suddenly upon a magnificent male tropic bird, sitting in his nest behind a tussock of tall, reedy grass. —  The Island Home
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Etymologies (5)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. Of Scandinavian origin.
  2. Middle English terne, from Old French, from ternes, from Latin ternās, accusative pl. of ternī, three each, from ter, thrice; see trei- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. Also tarn; from Danish terne = Swedish tärna = lcel. therna, a tern. Some connect tern with Middle English tarne, therne, girl, maid-servant, German dirne, etc. (see therne); but the connection is not obvious.
  2. = French terne, a three (in dice), three numbers (in a lottery), = Provencal terna = Spanish terna, terno = Portuguese Italian terno, n., a set of three, from Latin ternus, plural terni, three each, from tres, three (ter, thrice): see three.
  3. Origin uncertain.
 

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/tərn/
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