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

It gave England, and the tournament as a whole, a perfect start on a sunny night in Birmingham.

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026

Chris Mullin, a former Labour MP who played a key role in the release of wrongly convicted Birmingham Six, is knighted for political and public service.

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026

She worked for his Sport newspapers before he named the then-23-year-old managing director of Birmingham City after taking over the club in 1993.

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026

The international research team, led by the University of Birmingham, reported its findings in the journal Matter.

From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026

In the sixties and seventies, during the social upheaval of freedom rides and cafeteria sit-ins and boycotts in Birmingham and marches on Selma, Odessa stood locked in time.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger