least tern

noun

: a very small black-capped tern (Sterna antillarum) with a white body and forehead that is found chiefly in coastal areas of eastern North America and California

Examples of least tern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Several species, including black skimmers, least terns, roseate terns and American oystercatchers, have taken to nesting on the plentiful gravel rooftops of buildings near the waterfront. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024 Nearly 200 species of birds have been spotted in the wetlands, including the endangered California least tern. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2024 Last summer, researchers found three of them in the nesting area of least terns, small seabirds with black caps and smoky gray plumage that are declining in parts of the US. Benji Jones, Vox, 21 May 2024 New requirements to avoid construction during the Californian least tern nesting season, from April 15 to July 31, have extended the project’s schedule from two-and-a-half years to four years, also adding to the cost. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for least tern 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of least tern was circa 1860

Dictionary Entries Near least tern

Cite this Entry

“Least tern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/least%20tern. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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