✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

early bird

noun

1
: an early riser
2
: one that arrives early and especially before possible competitors

Examples of early bird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But hurry—most of these early bird specials end soon. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2025 Indeed, the early bird gets the Wedgwood. Colleen McNally Arnett, Southern Living, 13 Nov. 2025 In the past, estate sales would draw a few early birds for clothing. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025 Amazon dropped hundreds of early bird Christmas tree deals, with festive artificial firs and spruces starting at just $33. Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for early bird

Word History

Etymology

from the proverb, "the early bird catches the worm"

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of early bird was in 1830

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Early bird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/early%20bird. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!