Meanings
plural yardbirds · alternative yard bird
- USslangA chicken.
- USslangA 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.
1985, John P. Conrad, “Charting a Course for Imprisonment Policy,”, in Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, volume 478, page 126 - USslangA 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.
1943 July 5, “In the Rough”, in Time
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
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.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian наказан войник
- наказан войник (nakazan vojnik)person who is imprisoned
Finnish häkkilintu
- häkkilintuperson who is imprisoned
French détenu, taulard
- détenuperson who is imprisoned
- taulardperson who is imprisoned
- troufionsoldier required to do menial work
- homme de corvéesoldier required to do menial work
German Knacki, Knastbruder
- Knackiperson who is imprisoned
- Knastbruderperson who is imprisoned
- Knastschwesterperson who is imprisoned
- Sträflingperson who is imprisoned
Romanian prizonier, deținut
- prizonierperson who is imprisoned
- deținutperson who is imprisoned
Russian заключённый, у́зник
- заключённый (zaključónnyj)person who is imprisoned
- у́зник (úznik)person who is imprisoned
Spanish detenido, penado
- detenidoperson who is imprisoned
- penadoperson who is imprisoned
Cite this entry
yardbird. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yardbird
“yardbird.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yardbird. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “yardbird,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yardbird.
Source: yardbird on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.