snowbird

noun

snow·​bird ˈsnō-ˌbərd 

1

: any of several birds (such as a junco or fieldfare) seen chiefly in winter

2

: one who travels to warm climes for the winter

Did you know?

Snowbird has been in use since the late 1600s, but it has only been applied to humans since the early 1900s. It was first used to describe men who enlisted in the armed forces to get food and clothing during the winter months and then deserted as the warm spring weather approached. Not long after, the term was applied to the northern laborers who would flock down south to work as the cold, harsh winter set in up north. Today, northerners of all kinds, from vacationers to retirees, can be seen migrating as soon as the first frost arrives.

Examples of snowbird in a Sentence

Like many of the state's snowbirds, they live in Florida from November through March.

Recent Examples on the Web

The lakes are the reason people move to Rome, said the Garrows, who are snowbirds and bought the property in 2019. —Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Families, business travelers, snowbirds, and anyone who wants more than just a room with a bed are part of this shift. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025

So many Canadian snowbirds are canceling vacations in California that the state is running this ad on Canadian television hoping to win them back. —ABC News, 17 Aug. 2025

Picture-perfect days draw many snowbirds and higher prices to match. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for snowbird

• absurd
• averred
• bluebird
• byword
• catbird
• catchword
• concurred
• conferred
• cowbird
• cowherd
• crossword
• deferred

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Kids Definition

snowbird

noun

snow·​bird -bərd 

: any of several small birds (as a junco) seen chiefly in winter