snowbird
noun
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
Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Though they’re retired, the snowbirds divide their time between Florida and New Jersey and are not the types to lie around.
—Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
This is high season, when snowbirds descend, and marquee events like the Delray Beach Open in February and the sprawling Delray Affair art festival in April, bring an extra buzz to downtown—along with higher prices and fuller hotels.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026
Digestible moments → Florida's bagel wars heat up as iconic brands battle for snowbirds.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for snowbird
Cite this Entry
“Snowbird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snowbird. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
snowbird
noun
