birthright
noun
birth·right
ˈbərth-ˌrīt 
: 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
Most candidates also now endorse ending the automatic granting of citizenship to anyone born in the U.S., known as birthright citizenship, a once-fringe idea that is considered unconstitutional by most legal scholars.
—
Michelle Hackman, WSJ, 24 Aug. 2023
Enslaved people were not allowed to own property until constitutional amendments passed after the Civil War ending slavery and establishing birthright citizenship.
—Kimberly Kindy, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Aug. 2023
That’s going to grate on fan bases that view success as a birthright.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Aug. 2023
In some cases, dual citizenship is permitted up to a certain age, often around 21 years old, and in others, dual citizenship is only permitted by birthright, not by other means such as investing.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2023
Some of the settlements are home to religious Zionists who believe that the area is their biblical birthright.
—Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 29 June 2023
In anticipation of the Supreme Court ban on affirmative action, such birthright preferences have come under increasing scrutiny as an unfair advantage that rewards predominately white applicants.
—Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
In June, DeSantis, who has touted his recent signing of a strict state immigration law on the campaign trail, also pledged to end birthright citizenship.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2023
In May, Trump vowed to sign an executive order on his first day in office blocking federal agencies from allowing birthright citizenship as currently interpreted.
—Breccan F. Thies, Washington Examiner, 25 July 2023
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Michelle Hackman, WSJ, 24 Aug. 2023
Enslaved people were not allowed to own property until constitutional amendments passed after the Civil War ending slavery and establishing birthright citizenship.
—Kimberly Kindy, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Aug. 2023
That’s going to grate on fan bases that view success as a birthright.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Aug. 2023
In some cases, dual citizenship is permitted up to a certain age, often around 21 years old, and in others, dual citizenship is only permitted by birthright, not by other means such as investing.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2023
Some of the settlements are home to religious Zionists who believe that the area is their biblical birthright.
—Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 29 June 2023
In anticipation of the Supreme Court ban on affirmative action, such birthright preferences have come under increasing scrutiny as an unfair advantage that rewards predominately white applicants.
—Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2023
In June, DeSantis, who has touted his recent signing of a strict state immigration law on the campaign trail, also pledged to end birthright citizenship.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2023
In May, Trump vowed to sign an executive order on his first day in office blocking federal agencies from allowing birthright citizenship as currently interpreted.
—Breccan F. Thies, Washington Examiner, 25 July 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'birthright.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1535, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to birthright
Dictionary Entries Near birthright
Cite this Entry
“Birthright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birthright. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
birthright
noun
birth·right
-ˌrīt
: a right or possession that a person is entitled to by birth
More from Merriam-Webster on birthright
Nglish: Translation of birthright for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of birthright for Arabic Speakers
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