birth certificate

American  

noun

birth certificates plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• birth certificates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of birth certificate

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

"However, when the baby was born and we went to get the birth certificate, the name Dunyo was no longer there" after the update, she said.

From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026

"Obviously, to get a passport you need your birth certificate," he explained.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 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

Until now, a valid birth certificate had been sufficient to establish a person’s U.S. citizenship.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

There’s a coupon for carpet cleaning, Boo’s birth certificate, which says Bridget Chesley—a mistake…she’s a Hooperman just like me—and a bunch of photos and stuff.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko