birthday

noun

birth·​day ˈbərth-ˌdā How to pronounce birthday (audio)
1
a
: the day of a person's birth
b
: a day of origin
2
: an anniversary of a birth
her 21st birthday

Examples of birthday in a Sentence

Her birthday is September 30th. Today is his 21st birthday. The company just celebrated its 50th birthday.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The country music icon turned 92 on April 29 (though Nelson celebrates two birthdays: he was born April 29, just before midnight, but his birth was recorded on April 30). Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025 One of her birthday gifts this year was a Benz truck on behalf of her longtime partner raper Jim Jones. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 29 Apr. 2025 During a Monday, April 28, appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Wanda was asked what Olivia and Lucas asked for as a birthday gift. Michael Nied, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025 Her coverage has ranged from a rare interview with Mark Zuckerberg as Meta neared its 20th birthday to the bitter divorce proceedings of an Indian software billionaire. Kerry A. Dolan, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for birthday

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of birthday was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Birthday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birthday. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

birthday

noun
birth·​day ˈbərth-ˌdā How to pronounce birthday (audio)
1
: the day or anniversary of one's birth
2
: the day or anniversary of a beginning

More from Merriam-Webster on birthday

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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