noun
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an anniversary of the day of one's birth
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( as modifier )
birthday present
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the day on which a person was born
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any anniversary
Etymology
Origin of birthday
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at birth, day
Explanation
Your birthday is the day of your birth! It’s the yearly anniversary that marks the day you were born. Not everyone celebrates, but a birthday is a good excuse for a party and cake. You can use birthday both to refer to the specific day of a baby's birth, and the annual marking of that day throughout the years that follow. Sometimes people talk about the birthday of a country, group, or even a building: "It's the art museum's fiftieth birthday next year." The Old English byrddæg originally referred to the celebration of a king or saint's birth, but over the years it was extended to include everyone.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One particular bright spot: merchandise commemorating the 250th birthday of America and other heritage items that flew off Cracker Barrel store shelves faster than expected, including U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Michael Wright had been due to head off to the States for a dream 30th birthday trip with his brother and had tickets for Scotland's group stage games against Haiti and Morocco.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
While the superfight is a first for the White House, celebrity events have long been part of presidential birthday festivities.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
In November, the couple made their relationship Instagram official when Aniston posted a black-and-white selfie of the two of them in honor of Curtis’ birthday.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
“I know you well enough to know how you handle stress—you go see Grace. I’m sorry your birthday has been so stressful.”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
