birthday

[burth-dey]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR birthday ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the anniversary of a birth.

the day of a person's birth.

a day marking or commemorating the origin, founding, or beginning of something.

the festivities or celebration marking such a day or anniversary.

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. 2019

Examples from the Web for birthday

Contemporary Examples of birthday

They had three years together before Ziad left to do his compulsory military service, leaving on her birthday, April 4, 2001.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda
Ruth Michaelson
December 26, 2014
As a result, while Newton was born on December 25, 1642 in England, his birthday was January 4, 1643 everywhere else.
Neil deGrasse Tyson Trolls Christians on Christmas
Ben Jacobs
December 25, 2014
A Spaniard by birth, Victor Serna left home shy of his 14th birthday and entered the monastery to become a Marist brother.
Obama’s One Hand Clap With Castro
Doug McIntyre
December 24, 2014
Recently a woman successfully crowdfunded to pay off a $360 trip taken on her 26th birthday.
In Defense of Uber’s Awful Sydney Surge Pricing
Olivia Nuzzi
December 16, 2014
So, happy 20th birthday to this proudly silly fashion classic.
Happy 20th Birthday, Liz Hurley’s Safety-Pin Dress
Tim Teeman
December 12, 2014

Historical Examples of birthday

On the 24th of May we determined to celebrate the Queen's birthday.
Explorations in Australia
John Forrest
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

an anniversary of the day of one's birth
(as modifier)birthday present

the day on which a person was born

any anniversary

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

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.