birth certificate

American  

noun

1. an official form recording the birth of a baby and containing pertinent data, as name, sex, date, place, and parents.

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birth certificate British  

noun

1. an official form giving details of the time and place of a person's birth, and his or her name, sex, mother's name and (usually) father's name

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Etymology

Origin of birth certificate

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Sarah said that Lily's Austrian passport states she was born in Britain, and that she also offered to show her birth certificate as proof, but was told this wouldn't be sufficient.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

However, in order to get a passport, people still need to prove their citizenship, which for most Americans, means providing their birth certificate.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

First, people registering to vote would be asked to show proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate or naturalization document.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Gather proof of residency, citizenship documents like a birth certificate and passport, and documentation related to any dependents, the law firm says.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

Within ten minutes, the clerk had faxed over a birth certificate request form with no questions asked.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng