birthright

noun

birth·​right ˈbərth-ˌrīt How to pronounce birthright (audio)
: a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth

Examples of birthright in a Sentence

the freedom that is our birthright believed that the house was her birthright
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett announced from the court’s mahogany bench last month that lower court judges had gone too far in pausing President Donald Trump’s changes to birthright citizenship, the court’s liberals got their turn. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 6 July 2025 The court’s ruling in Trump v. CASA in late June ostensibly was not about the long-standing practice of birthright citizenship itself. Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025 The ruling, in a case which originated out of a trio of universal injunctions against Trump’s birthright citizenship order, has taken a key power out of district courts’ hands. Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 6 July 2025 The case in question involved Trump’s order on birthright citizenship. Editorial, Boston Herald, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for birthright

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of birthright was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Birthright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birthright. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

birthright

noun
birth·​right -ˌrīt How to pronounce birthright (audio)
: a right or possession that a person is entitled to by birth

More from Merriam-Webster on birthright

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!