birth certificate

noun

: a copy of an official record of a person's date and place of birth and parentage

Examples of birth certificate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Though the legislation is aimed at preventing noncitizens from casting ballots, some experts have argued that the bill would have implications for millions of Americans who don't have access to certain documents, like a passport or their birth certificate, or who have changed their names. —Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026

So Black people, thousands and thousands of Black people, do not have an original birth certificate; 146 million Americans do not have a passport. —Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026

For most, that would mean showing a passport or birth certificate, USA TODAY reported in April. —Chris Mueller, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 4 Feb. 2026

Birthright citizenship Deevers has introduced SB 2098, which would require birth certificates to indicate the citizenship of both of the child’s biological parents. —Ari Fife, The Frontier, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

birth certificate

noun

birth cer·​tif·​i·​cate -(ˌ)sər-ˈtif-i-kət 

: a copy of an official record of a person's date and place of birth and parentage