Definition

Noun: 1. A person serving a sentence in a jail or prison: A slang term for an inmate or prisoner, derived from the prison yard where inmates have recreation time. 2. A military recruit who is assigned menial tasks: A slang term for a new soldier, especially one being punished with tedious chores or duties.

Usage Examples

• As a prisoner:
  • The old-timer gave advice to the new yard bird on how to survive inside.
  • He's been a yard bird for five years now.
• As a military recruit:
  • The sergeant made the yard birds scrub the latrines with toothbrushes.
  • After messing up the drill, he spent the weekend as a yard bird on kitchen duty.

Advanced Usage

• The term is informal and carries a connotation of low status, either within the prison hierarchy or the military chain of command. It is not a respectful term.
• It can sometimes be used more broadly to refer to someone who is stuck in a confining or tedious situation, though this is less common.

Variants and Related Words

• Jailbird (noun): A more common synonym specifically for a prisoner or habitual offender.
• Con (noun, informal): Short for convict; a person serving a prison sentence.

Synonyms

• For prisoner: Inmate, convict, prisoner, felon.
• For military recruit: New recruit, private, grunt (informal).

Notes on Meaning

The meaning is entirely dependent on context. In a discussion about the legal system, "yard bird" means a prisoner. In a military context, it refers to a punished recruit. Without clear context, it is an ambiguous term.

Noun

1. a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
2. a military recruit who is assigned menial tasks