NYT Dictionary

YARDBIRD

/ˈjɑɹd.bɝd/
NounYARD-birdyard-bird · 2 syllablesAdvanced/Professional

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2020

Meaning

A chicken.

Etymology

Origin: Unknown

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.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2018, 2020.

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