From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbirthdaybirth‧day /ˈbɜːθdeɪ $ ˈbɜːr-/ ●●● S1 W3 noun [countable] 1 TMCyour birthday is a day that is an exact number of years after the day you were born It’s my birthday on Monday. My aunt called to wish me a happy birthday. Anne’s birthday party2 a day that is an exact number of years since an organization was established or an event first happened → anniversary The City of Cleveland Orchestra is celebrating its 200th birthday.3 → in your birthday suitGRAMMAR: Prepositions with birthday• You say that your birthday is on a particular date: My birthday is on July 22nd. • You say that your birthday is in a particular month: His birthday is in January.• You do something on your birthday: We went out for a meal on my birthday (=to celebrate your birthday).• You get a present for your birthday: My sister bought me a sweater for my birthday.COLLOCATIONSadjectivessomebody’s first/18th/40th etc birthdayIt’s Mum’s 50th birthday tomorrow.Happy Birthday! (=said to someone on their birthday)Happy Birthday, Linda!verbshave a good/nice etc birthdayDid you have a nice birthday?get something for your birthdayWhat did you get for your birthday?celebrate somebody’s birthdayHe will celebrate his 90th birthday on 25th August.remember somebody’s birthday (=remember to send a card or present)She always remembers my birthday.forget somebody’s birthday (=forget to send a card or present)Oh no! I forgot his birthday.give something to somebody for their birthdayI never know what to give him for his birthday.birthday + NOUNa birthday cardDon’t forget to send her a birthday card.a birthday presentHave you got Lou a birthday present yet?a birthday partyCan you come to my birthday party next Saturday?a birthday cakeShe had a birthday cake with 21 silver candles on it.birthday celebrationsthe president’s 60th birthday celebrationsa birthday treat (=something special you do on your birthday)What would you like to do for a birthday treat?a birthday mealWhere are you going for your birthday meal?the birthday girl/boy informal (=the person whose birthday it is)Here comes the birthday girl!
Examples from the Corpus
birthday• It's my 18th birthday next week.• Here the bridge between us is the Society of St Peter Apostle, whose hundredth birthday we celebrate this year.• On my birthday in November we again lobbied the guards to have the radio for the day.• Or rather, they photograph you only on formal occasions: birthdays, weddings, Christmas.• Of about half a million foundlings christened in workhouses after 1728, only 40 percent survived to their second birthday.• It is five years since the settlement was established, and they are celebrating the birthday.• In this case she went back to her third birthday.celebrating ... birthday• It is five years since the settlement was established, and they are celebrating the birthday.• Meanwhile, in May, Darlington Camra will be celebrating its tenth birthday.• Read in studio Next week, the Royal Air Force will be celebrating its seventy-fifth birthday.• From early this morning they've been celebrating their seventh birthdays with cards, sweets and of course plenty of presents.• Jones - celebrating his 21st birthday today - must be tantalising Taylor after three brief Liverpool returns this season.• A good, stiff celebrating birthday martini.• The centre has been a great success since opening its doors a year ago and looks forward to celebrating many more birthdays.• Buddy Benton and his band were celebrating his birthday by playing country-western music in her garage. 