early bird

noun

A person who wakes early or arrives early, typically before most others.

Similar
early risermorning personlark
Opposite
nighthawknight owlnight personlate riser
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Meanings

nounearly bird (plural early birds)

plural early birds

  1. idiomaticA person who wakes early or arrives early, typically before most others.

    If you’re a bird, be an early bird— But if you’re a worm, sleep late.

    1974, Shel Silverstein, “Early Bird”, in Where the Sidewalk Ends, HarperCollins

    Synonyms: early riser, morning person, lark · Antonyms: nighthawk, night owl, night person, late riser

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA person who wakes early or arrives early, typically before most others.

Similar
early risermorning personlark
Opposite
nighthawknight owlnight personlate riser
Also see
day larkearly riserlarkmorning person

Origin

From the expression the early bird gets the worm.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan matiner, matinador
  • matinerone who wakes early
  • matinadorone who wakes early
Chinese Mandarin 早起者, 早到者
  • 早起者 (zǎoqǐ zhě)one who wakes early
  • 早到者 (zǎo dào zhě)one who wakes early
  • 早鳥 /早鸟 (zǎoniǎo)one who wakes early
Czech ranní ptáče
  • ranní ptáčeone who wakes early
Danish morgenmand
  • morgenmandone who wakes early
Dutch vroege vogel, ochtendmens
  • vroege vogelone who wakes early
  • ochtendmensone who wakes early
Finnish aamuvirkku, aamuihminen
  • aamuvirkkuone who wakes early
  • aamuihminenone who wakes early
French lève-tôt
  • lève-tôtone who wakes early
German Frühaufsteher, Frühaufsteherin
  • Frühaufsteherone who wakes early
  • Frühaufsteherinone who wakes early
  • früher Vogelone who wakes early
  • Morgenmenschone who wakes early
Greek πρωινός τύπος, πρωινός
  • πρωινός τύπος (proïnós týpos)one who wakes early
  • πρωινός (proïnós)one who wakes early
Hungarian korán kelő
  • korán kelőone who wakes early
Italian mattiniero
  • mattinieroone who wakes early
Japanese 早起きの人, 朝型
  • 早起きの人 (hayaoki no hito)one who wakes early
  • 朝型 (asagata)one who wakes early
Korean 일찍 일어나는 사람, 아침형
  • 일찍 일어나는 사람 (iljjik ireonaneun saram)one who wakes early
  • 아침형 (achimhyeong)one who wakes early
Latvian rīta putns, cīrulis
  • rīta putnsone who wakes early
  • cīrulisone who wakes early
Norwegian Bokmål morgenfugl, a-menneske
  • morgenfuglone who wakes early
  • a-menneskeone who wakes early
  • morgenmenneskeone who wakes early
Polish ranny ptaszek, skowronek
  • ranny ptaszekone who wakes early
  • skowronekone who wakes early
Portuguese madrugador, matutino
  • madrugadorone who wakes early
  • matutinoone who wakes early
Russian ра́нняя пта́шка, жа́воронок
  • ра́нняя пта́шка (ránnjaja ptáška)one who wakes early
  • жа́воронок (žávoronok)one who wakes early
Slovak ranný vták
  • ranný vtákone who wakes early
Spanish madrugón, madrugador
  • madrugónone who wakes early
  • madrugadorone who wakes early
  • mañaneroone who wakes early
  • alondraone who wakes early
  • tempraneroone who wakes early
Swedish morgonpigg, morgonmänniska
  • morgonpiggone who wakes early
  • morgonmänniskaone who wakes early
Turkish erkenci, sabahçı
  • erkencione who wakes early
  • sabahçıone who wakes early
Ukrainian ра́ння пта́шка, жайворонок
  • ра́ння пта́шка (ránnja ptáška)one who wakes early
  • жайворонок (žajvoronok)one who wakes early
Cite this entry
APA

early bird. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/early%20bird

MLA

“early bird.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/early%20bird. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “early bird,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/early%20bird.

Source: early bird on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.