Meaning of birther | Babel Free

Definitions

1. One who gives birth.
   rare
2. A believer in the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States (2009–2017), is not a natural-born US citizen, and was therefore ineligible for the presidency under the United States Constitution (Article II, Section 1).
   US, derogatory, slang
3. More generally, anyone who questions the eligibility of a candidate for office based on their citizenship status.
   US, derogatory, slang

Equivalents

Examples

“[…] she couldn't be an "easy birther."”

“Liz Buttle, Britain's oldest birther, lied about not taking fertility drugs and didn't conceive her 2-month-old boy in the usual way as she insisted.”

“I confess I do have⟳ some sympathy for the "birthers," though. As an outsider, it's hard to distinguish between the zany arguments that get⟳ official approval by the conservative establishment --- things like⟳ Bill Ayers, Michelle Obama's infamous "whitey" tape, the claim⟳ that Obama is a closet Marxist --- and those arguments that are considered beyond the pale.”

“Senator Dick Durbin has suggested that the birthers and the health care protesters are one and the same; we don’t know⟳ how many of the protesters are birthers, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it’s a substantial fraction.”

“Earlier this month, columnist and birther Frank Gaffney, Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., the ranking Republican on the Intelligence Committee, and others held a news conference on Capitol Hill to release⟳ a report⟳ on Muslim religious law entitled "Shariah: The Threat to America."”

“[see⟳ title]”

“On Thursday, he started floating a new birther lie⟳ about Sen. Kamala Harris, who, if elected, would be the first Black and Asian American vice president.”

CEFR level