Synonyms

birthright

American

[burth-rahyt] / ˈbɜrθˌraɪt /

noun

any right or privilege to which a person is entitled by birth.

Democracy maintains that freedom is a birthright.

birthright British

/ ˈbɜːθˌraɪt /

noun

privileges or possessions that a person has or is believed to be entitled to as soon as he is born
the privileges or possessions of a first-born son
inheritance; patrimony

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of birthright

First recorded in 1525–35; birth + right

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“You need fire and you need a chalice. To me, that fire is my creativity. It’s my birthright to create. And that chalice is the community that holds me.”

From Los Angeles Times

Isn’t it the birthright of every California citizen to be endlessly entertained?

From Los Angeles Times

There are second-graders in Bourne and the Berkshires who have no idea that late January football is their birthright, as predictable as Plum Island tide.

From The Wall Street Journal

There is no birthright to matter, and this is neither pragmatic nor moral.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Supreme Court didn’t issue an opinion on birthright citizenship.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023