at birth
Referring to the time of being born
Use at birth for conditions or facts existing when someone was born.
He was blind at birth.
'Of birth' vs. 'at birth'
At birth is the standard expression for the time when someone is born. Of birth usually appears inside longer formal phrases.
Quick answer
Which form is correct?
Use at birth to refer to the moment someone was born. Of birth is uncommon alone but appears in phrases such as date of birth or country of birth.
at birth the baby weighed three kilos.
Please enter your date of birth.
Her country of birth is Brazil.
Please enter your date of birth.
Her country of birth is Brazil.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
date of birth
Giving official birth information
Of links birth to another noun in fixed administrative phrases.
date of birth
place of birth
Stating where someone was born
This is a common formal noun phrase.
place of birth
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
at birth
The condition was present at birth.
at the time of being born
of birth
Please confirm your date of birth.
part of a larger identifying phrase
birth at
birth at home
birth followed by an adjunct of place
birth of
the birth of a child
birth followed by the person or thing born
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using of birth alone for time
English does not normally use of birth by itself to mean when someone was born.
✕ He was deaf of birth. ✓ He was deaf at birth.Leaving out the noun before of birth
Of birth usually follows another noun.
✕ Please state your of birth. ✓ Please state your date of birth.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. She had heart problems ___ birth.
2. Which phrase is standard on forms?
3. Choose the correct sentence.
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Frequently asked questions
Is 'at birth' formal or informal?
It is standard in both formal and everyday English.
Can 'of birth' stand alone?
Usually no. It normally appears in longer phrases such as place of birth.
What is the difference between 'birth of' and 'of birth'?
Birth of introduces the person or thing born, while of birth usually modifies another noun.
Related preposition guides
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