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birthday

Etymology and origin of the English word birthday

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 1000
From
Middle English birthe day
Ultimate origin
English (birth,day)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˈbɜːθ.deɪ/, US /ˈbɝːθ.deɪ/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English birthe day,[2] a compound of birth and day,[3][2] replacing Old English ġebyrddæġ (“birthday”).[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The anniversary of one's birth, or its celebration, at first usually of a king or saint: Old English, about 1000.[5][3] The Middle English form is from the late 14th century.[3]

Semantic evolution

The day on which a person is born, rather than its anniversary, is from 1580 in the OED[5] and the 1570s in Etymonline,[3] and figuratively the day of one's spiritual rebirth.[5] Birthnight is from the 1620s.[3] Combinations such as birthday cake, birthday card and birthday present are recorded from 1860,[5] and in one's birthday suit, “naked”, is a jocular phrase.[6][7]

Timeline

  • c. 1000 – the anniversary of one's birth.[5]
  • late 14th century – Middle English birthe day.[3]
  • 1580 – the day of one's birth.[5]
  • 1620s – birthnight.[3]
  • 1860 – birthday cake and similar.[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The anniversary of the day on which a person was born, often celebrated.
  2. The day of one's birth.
  3. The anniversary of the founding of something.

Word family

  • birthday suit
  • birth
  • day
  • birthright
  • birthplace

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ The Chambers Dictionary (2008), 11th ed., Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap
  7. ^ Soanes, Catherine; Stevenson, Angus, eds. (2004), Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Birthday.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/birthday. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·