great crested tern

noun

: a large tern (Sterna bergii synonym Thalasseus bergii) of Africa, Asia, and Australia with a yellow bill and prominent black crest
My fellow expedition members brandished binoculars and pointed out birds on a sandbar: purple herons, great crested terns …—Henry Allen, Forbes, 9 May 1994

called also crested tern, greater crested tern, large crested tern

Word History

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of great crested tern was in 1994

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Dictionary Entries Near great crested tern

great crested grebe

great crested tern

Great Dane

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Cite this Entry

“Great crested tern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20crested%20tern. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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