Definition

Noun: A person who has been imprisoned multiple times; a habitual criminal with a history of incarceration.

Usage

The term "jail bird" is used to refer to someone, especially a criminal, who has spent significant time in jail or prison, often on repeated occasions. It carries a connotation of someone for whom incarceration has become a familiar or recurrent experience.

Examples

• The old-timers at the bar whispered that the new guy was a known jail bird.
• After his third conviction, the judge declared him a hopeless jail bird.
• The documentary profiled a reformed jail bird who now worked to help at-risk youth.

Advanced Usage

• The term can sometimes be used more broadly or informally to describe anyone who has been in jail, even if not repeatedly, though the core meaning implies a pattern.
• It is often used in a colloquial or slightly derogatory context.

Variants and Related Words

• Jailbird (noun): The more common, single-word spelling of "jail bird".
• Recidivist (noun): A more formal term for a person who repeatedly reoffends and returns to prison.
• Ex-convict (noun): A person who has been released from prison. This term does not inherently imply repeated offenses.

Synonyms

• Convict
• Inmate
• Prisoner
• Repeat offender
• Old lag (British English slang)

Antonyms

• Law-abiding citizen
• First-time offender

Related Idioms

• "Back in the cage": A slang phrase suggesting a jail bird has returned to prison.
  • He violated his parole and is back in the cage.

Noun

1. a criminal who has been jailed repeatedly