noun
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an anniversary of the day of one's birth
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( as modifier )
birthday present
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the day on which a person was born
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any anniversary
Etymology
Origin of birthday
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at birth, day
Explanation
Your birthday is the day of your birth! It’s the yearly anniversary that marks the day you were born. Not everyone celebrates, but a birthday is a good excuse for a party and cake. You can use birthday both to refer to the specific day of a baby's birth, and the annual marking of that day throughout the years that follow. Sometimes people talk about the birthday of a country, group, or even a building: "It's the art museum's fiftieth birthday next year." The Old English byrddæg originally referred to the celebration of a king or saint's birth, but over the years it was extended to include everyone.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yesterday, your sister’s birthday gift came from a Shopify store run by a kitchenware designer in Sacramento, California.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
Before putting the property on the market, Barrymore seized the opportunity to make at least one more core memory there, when she celebrated her 51st birthday with some of her closest friends.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
It takes place on the US holiday of Flag Day -- which also happens to Trump's birthday.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
His 80th birthday concert at New York’s Beacon Theater in 2010 was a critical success, but bronchial issues forced him into retirement in 2012.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
One time, during the Fourth of July when he was six years old, Pili had used her birthday money to buy a box of sparklers.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
