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

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

Sir Elton and Furnish accused ANL of "stealing" their son Zachary's birth certificate before they "had a chance to see it ourselves," accusing the publisher of "invasion of medical details".

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

However, a distant relative of Bobby’s suggested that the reason Regina listed Hans Gerhardt as the father on Bobby’s birth certificate was that she didn’t want Bobby to be known as a bastard.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady