snowbird
snowbird Lexical Profile
snowbird Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A person, especially a retiree, who moves from a colder northern region of the United States or Canada to a warmer southern state or country during the winter months.
"Every November, thousands of snowbirds pack their RVs and head down to Florida and Arizona until spring."
North American Any of several small North American songbirds commonly seen in winter or around snow, especially the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) or the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis).
"Flocks of slate-colored snowbirds gathered beneath the backyard feeder after the first December frost."
• verb
North American To travel to and reside in a warmer southern region during the winter months to escape cold northern weather.
"After retiring from teaching in Michigan, my grandparents decided to snowbird along the Gulf Coast each winter."
• Rhymes for snowbird
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 18th century as an American English compound of 'snow' and 'bird', originally describing migratory winter finches such as the junco before being applied in the early 20th century to seasonal workers and retirees heading south for the winter.