Main Entry: ¹birch

Pronunciation: \ˈbərch\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English beorc; akin to Old High German birka birch, Old English beorht bright, and probably to Latin fraxinus ash tree — more at bright

Date: before 12th century

1 : any of a genus (Betula of the family Betulaceae, the birch family) of monoecious deciduous usually short-lived trees or shrubs having simple petioled leaves and typically a layered membranous outer bark that peels readily
2 : the hard pale close-grained wood of a birch
3 : a birch rod or bundle of twigs for flogging

— birch or birch·en \ˈbər-chən\ adjective