yardbird
English
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yardbird
- /ˈjɑːd.bəːd/ UK
- /ˈjɑɹd.bɝd/ US
Where it comes from
From yard + bird. Attested since 1956 in the sense of ‘convict,’ derived from the idea of prison yards. During World War II, it meant ‘basic trainee’ among the armed forces.
noun yardbirds · yard bird
- A chicken.
- A person who is imprisoned. The working convict is a rare exception, sometimes envied because his time is occupied, sometimes derided for his deviance from the yardbird norm.
- A soldier who is required to perform menial work on the grounds of a military base. As the Marines expanded to war strength, Lou Diamond was the ideal liaison between crusty old-timers and impressionable recruits. He taught quick action by threats of yardbird detail.
Translations
Every language
noun person who is imprisoned
| Español | detenido, penado |
|---|---|
| Français | détenu, taulard |
| Deutsch | Knacki, Knastbruder, Knastschwester, Sträfling |
| Română | prizonier, deținut |
| Русский | заключённый zaključónnyj, у́зник úznik |
noun soldier required to do menial work
| Français | troufion, homme de corvée |
|---|
Talk about this word "yardbird." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/yardbird. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. yardbird. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/yardbird "yardbird." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/yardbird.Cite this
@misc{yardbird_2026,
title = {yardbird},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/yardbird},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
