happy birthday

Formshappy birthdays, happy birthdaying, happy birthdayed

1. 1
   greetinginterjection

   Said or written to someone who is celebrating their birthday, to convey good wishes.

   Happy birthday, Dad! I can't believe you're sixty.

   She piped "Happy birthday, Maya" in pink icing across the top of the cake.

   Note

   The greeting is a wish with its opening worn away, may you have a happy birthday, and the article comes back when the wish is reported: she wished him a happy birthday. On a card it often stands alone with a name, and many happy returns, in full many happy returns of the day, does the same job.

2. 2
   wish someoneverbcolloquialtransitive

   To offer someone good wishes for their birthday.

   Her coworkers happy birthdayed her all morning, one desk at a time.

   Don't forget to happy birthday your grandmother when she calls tonight.

   Note

   The ending attaches to the end of the whole phrase, with no hyphen: everybody was happy birthdaying him, her coworkers happy birthdayed her. It is playful, everyday talk, and careful writing still tends to wish someone a happy birthday instead.

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