birthright citizenship

noun

: a rule that the citizenship of a child is determined by the place of the child's birth : jus soli

In United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898), the Supreme Court thoroughly examined the meaning and intent of the 14th Amendment as it applies to birthright citizenship. The Court concluded that the Constitution "affirms the ancient and fundamental rule of citizenship by birth within the territory."

—Cameron Smith

Birthright citizenship, also known as jus soli (right of the soil), is relatively uncommon. There are 195 countries in the world, and only 30 of them have it—just 15 percent. Most of the countries with birthright citizenship are in North and South America.

—Nolan Rappaport

also : the citizenship conferred by this rule

Born on Manhattan's Delancey Street and raised in the Bronx, my great-aunt Libby lost her birthright citizenship at age 20 when she married an immigrant. … Thanks to the Expatriation Act, passed by Congress in 1907 and repealed in 1922, my great-aunt … spent part of her life as a natural-born alien.

—Marcia Biederman

compare jus sanguinis

Examples of birthright citizenship in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Justices Clarence Thomas and Alito wrote long dissents arguing that the framers of the 14th Amendment did not or would not have favored birthright citizenship. — Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Voicer John Piccolo’s argument against birthright citizenship is vacuous. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 July 2026

The birthright citizenship decision was decided on merits after full oral arguments, while the Carroll petition asks the court to reconsider its decision to not hear the case, known as a denial of certiorari. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 9 July 2026

That vision was on display in her concurring opinion in the birthright citizenship case. — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 9 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for birthright citizenship

• airship
• airstrip
• clerkship
• courtship
• equip
• filmstrip
• flagship
• headship
• heirship
• judgeship
• kinship
• lightship