railbird

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A gambler; originally specifically a horseracing enthusiast

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

He earned it one night at Chelsea Billiards in New York, where he knocked off Eddie Hubler, a.k.a. Kid Vicious, winning $4,200 from railbirds who were certain that the fat kid from Jersey had no game.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “railbird” mean?

A gambler; originally specifically a horseracing enthusiast

Is “railbird” formal or informal?

railbird is generally slang.