Birmingham

American  

[bur-ming-uhm, bur-ming-ham] / ˈbɜr mɪŋ əm, ˈbɜr mɪŋˌhæm /

noun

1. a city in West Midlands, in central England.

2. a city in central Alabama.

3. a city in SE Michigan, near Detroit.

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Birmingham British  

/ ˈbɜːmɪŋəm /

noun

1. an industrial city in central England, in Birmingham unitary authority, in the West Midlands: the second largest city in Great Britain; two cathedrals; three universities (1900, 1966, 1992). Pop: 970 892 (2001) informal Brummie

2. a unitary authority in central England, in the West Midlands. Pop: 992 100 (2003 est). Area: 283 sq km (109 sq miles)

3. an industrial city in N central Alabama: rich local deposits of coal, iron ore, and other minerals. Pop: 236 620 (2003 est)

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Birmingham ¹ Cultural  

1. City in north-central Alabama; largest city in the state.

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Birmingham ² Cultural  

1. City in central England; England's second-largest city, after London, and an important industrial and transportation center.

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Discover More

Birmingham was the site of extreme racial violence during the civil rights movement. Although associated with specific race riots in 1963, Birmingham came to represent, as a whole, southern white resistance to integration. (See “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”)

Birmingham is known as the “Pittsburgh of the South” for its steel and iron production.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Birmingham

Against Birmingham, she had more entries in the final third than any team-mate besides Gracie Prior and 16 touches in the opposition box.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

David Wilson, emeritus professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, believes it's unlikely that the report will reverse hard-baked opinions.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Calabasas 14, Birmingham 7 with 35 seconds left in second.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Hodgkinson, who took the decision to miss the Diamond League Final to allow her body to recover from her efforts in chasing Werro in Birmingham, claimed a comfortable victory in one minute 57.57 seconds.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Mrs. Hunter, who had brought news of the North from Birmingham to Meridian, looked around.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield