Definition of "tern" [tern]

• 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. (noun)
• Games A set of three, especially a combination of three numbers that wins a lottery. (noun)
• A three-masted schooner. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Then you will start radiating the same vibes and moral energy to others, who in tern will hopefully learn to act the same."
• "The tern is a beautiful little bird about twice as big as a swallow, and somewhat resembling it in its flight, but much more graceful."
• "The tern is a very pretty bird with light grey plumage, a black head and red beak and feet."