early bird

What it means

An early bird is someone who habitually wakes up early in the morning or arrives somewhere ahead of time. The term often appears in marketing as 'early-bird discount' or 'early-bird special' to reward customers who buy or book in advance, and it links naturally to the proverb 'the early bird catches the worm.'

Examples

• She's an early bird — usually at her desk by six in the morning.
• I grabbed the early-bird discount on the conference ticket.
• Being an early bird really helps when you have small kids.
• The restaurant offers an early-bird menu before six p.m.

Where it comes from

A shortening of the 17th-century English proverb 'the early bird catches the worm,' first recorded around 1605, which treats punctuality and effort as the source of reward. The standalone noun 'early bird' became common in 19th-century English to label any habitually punctual person.

Related idioms