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birthday

[burth-dey]
See more synonyms for birthday on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the anniversary of a birth.
  2. the day of a person's birth.
  3. a day marking or commemorating the origin, founding, or beginning of something.
  4. the festivities or celebration marking such a day or anniversary.
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Origin of birthday

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at birth, day
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for birthday

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • On the 24th of May we determined to celebrate the Queen's birthday.

  • In his sane moments he did not care a fig for anybody's birthday.

    Viviette

    William J. Locke

  • December 29, 1892, Mr. Gladstone celebrated his eighty-third birthday.

    The Grand Old Man

    Richard B. Cook

  • "He will not be here for his birthday," said Austin, in cold, even tones.

    Viviette

    William J. Locke

  • But before that came another feast,—their father's birthday.

    Rico and Wiseli

    Johanna Spyri

British Dictionary definitions for birthday

birthday

noun
    1. an anniversary of the day of one's birth
    2. (as modifier)birthday present
  2. the day on which a person was born
  3. any anniversary
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for birthday

n.

late 14c., from Old English byrddæg, "anniversary celebration of someone's birth" (at first usually a king or saint); see birth (n.) + day. Meaning "day on which one is born" is from 1570s. Birthnight is attested from 1620s.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper