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• early bird
  early bird

  noun

  a person who rises at an early hour.
• Early Bird
  Early Bird

  noun

  one of a number of communications satellites, the first of which was launched in 1965 into a stationary orbit and provided telephone channels between Europe and the US See also Intelsat

early bird

American  

noun

1. a person who rises at an early hour.

2. a person who arrives before others, as for the purpose of gaining some advantage.

   The early birds got the best seats for the play.

3. (initial capital letters) the first of the Intelsat series of communications satellites, orbited (1965) by Intelsat.

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Early Bird ¹ British  

noun

1. one of a number of communications satellites, the first of which was launched in 1965 into a stationary orbit and provided telephone channels between Europe and the US See also Intelsat

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early bird ² British  

noun

1. informal a person who rises early or arrives in good time

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Etymology

Origin of early bird

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

This is a case of the early bird losing the worm.

From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026

It was when it reported on matters of which I had zero awareness: my HRV balance, for example, or my chronotype, albeit a wishy-washy “late morning,” a designation I plan to flip to early bird.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Anna got a PDC membership so that she should buy early bird tickets in the summer, but even then it was "like a mini Oasis" in the scramble to get tickets.

From BBC • Jan. 3, 2025

We all know that the early bird gets the worm, but new research shows they turn to something far more nutritious for their breakfast.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2024

Luckily, Anna’s an early bird, so I can head straight to Starbucks after dropping Mom off at work.

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli