noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/ˈbɜːθ.deɪ/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbɜːθ.dei/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada, US:bûrthʹdā'
Canada, US:/ˈbɝθˌdeɪ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)θdeɪ
rhymes with -ɜːθdɪ
CMU ARPABET:B ER1 TH D EY2
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The anniversary of the day on which someone is born.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
When's your birthday? Mine's on April 1.
I'll be thirty-seven (years old) next birthday.
1903, L. Frank Baum, The Surprising Adventures of the Magical Monarch of Mo and His People, The Fifth Surprise: The Monarch Celebrates His Birthday, One of the Wise Men said the King was born in February; another declared it was in May, and a third figured the great event happened in October. So the King issued a royal decree that he should have three birthdays every year, in order to be on the safe side; and whenever he happened to think of it he put in an odd birthday or two for luck.
1906, Edith Nesbit, The Railway Children, Chapter 9: The pride of Perks, "And we thought we'd make a nice birthday for him. He's been so awfully jolly decent to us, you know, Mother," said Peter, "and we agreed that next bun-day we'd ask you if we could."
c. 1911, Cotton Mather, Worthington Chauncey Ford (editor), Diary of Cotton Mather, Volume 1: 1681-1708, footnote, page 1, It was his custom to begin a new year's record on February 12, his birthday.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: natal day
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The anniversary of the day on which something is created.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The date on which someone is born or something is created, more commonly called birthdate or date of birth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A birthday party.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I'd like to invite you all to my birthday.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To celebrate one's birthday.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: anniversary, day of remembrance
7
noun
Meaning 7
the date on which a person was born
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: natal day
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: date, day of the month
History
Etymology
From Middle English birthdai, birtheday, from Old English ġebyrddæġ (“birthday”), influenced by Old Norse burðr, equivalent to birth + day. Compare Saterland Frisian Gebuursdai (“birthday”), Dutch geboortedag (“birthday”), Low German Geboortsdag (“birthday”), German Geburtstag (“birthday”), Norwegian bursdag, gebursdag (“birthday”). Eclipsed non-native Middle English nativitee (“birth, nativity, birthday”), from Old French nativité, nativited, from Latin nātīvitas.
Across languages
Translations
339 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Abenaki:
piligadma
— anniversary
Afrikaans:
verjaarsdag
— anniversary
Alabama:
innìhta
— anniversary
Albanian:
ditëlindje
— anniversary
Southern Altai:
тууган кӱни
(tuugan küni)
— anniversary
Amharic:
ልደታ
(lədäta)
— anniversary
Amharic:
ልደት
(lədät)
— anniversary
Arabic:
عِيد مِيلَاد
(ʕīd mīlād)
— anniversary
Arabic:
يَوْم مِيلَاد
(yawm mīlād)
— anniversary
Arabic:
عيد ميلاد
(ʕīd melad)
— anniversary
Arabic:
عيد ميلاد
(ʕīd mīlād)
— anniversary
Armenian:
ծննդյան օր
(cnndyan ōr)
— anniversary
Armenian:
ծնունդ
(cnund)
— anniversary
Asturian:
cumpleaños
— anniversary
Azerbaijani:
doğum günü
— anniversary
Azerbaijani:
ad günü
— anniversary
Bambara:
sanyɛlɛma
— anniversary
Bashkir:
тыуған көн
(tıwğan kön)
— anniversary
Basque:
urtebetetze
— anniversary
Basque:
urtemuga
— anniversary
Basque:
egun
— anniversary
Belarusian:
дзень нараджэ́ння
(dzjenʹ naradžénnja)
— anniversary
Belarusian:
дзень нараджэ́ньня
(dzjenʹ naradžénʹnja)
— anniversary