birch

1 of 2

noun

1
: any of a genus (Betula of the family Betulaceae, the birch family) of monoecious deciduous 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 adjective
or birchen

birch

2 of 2

verb

birched; birching; birches

transitive verb

: to beat with or as if with a birch : whip

Examples of birch in a Sentence

Noun a cabinet made of birch In those days, schoolchildren got the birch when they misbehaved. Verb students at the private school were once routinely birched for violating the rules always a stern disciplinarian, our father birched anyone who talked back
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Tree pollen allergies are common, too, and respiratory symptoms can occur after exposure or handling of birch or other woods.6 Consider calling 911 of you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, a swollen airway, or an altered mental status after exposure to the allergens or the smoke. Daniel More, Verywell Health, 8 Mar. 2024 The researchers could generalize this beyond their study sites in Alaska, showing that boreal trees growing elsewhere around the Arctic—birch, pine, larch, and other kinds of spruce—are moving northward where nearby sea ice is declining. Matt Simon, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 Choose from birch, walnut, or American oak, and then pair it with white or black hardware depending on your preference. Olivia Muenter, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2024 While shallow, surface-visible roots are naturally more common among some tree species (birch, maple, magnolia, and beech being typical examples), aerating the soil to improve drainage and alleviate compaction may keep the situation from worsening. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024 Top of the Rock’s Osage Restaurant features a rotunda dining room with birch tree beams and bark on the ceiling. Sarah Gish, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024 The silhouette is minimalist, but the table comes in six finish options, including a very light Canadian birch, a warm American walnut, and a modern smoked hickory. Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2023 The second type, tucked away in a pouch around his neck, was birch polypores. Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 28 Nov. 2023 For this representation, greenery and candies decorate a birch log or similar wood. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2023
Verb
Find yellow aspen and birch along the shoreline and red maples inland. Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune, 11 Sep. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'birch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1808, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of birch was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near birch

Cite this Entry

“Birch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birch. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

birch

1 of 2 noun
1
: any of a genus of trees or shrubs with typically an outer bark that peels easily in thin layers and leaves that are shed each fall
also : its hard pale close-grained wood
2
: a birch rod or bundle of twigs used as a whip
birch adjective
or birchen

birch

2 of 2 verb
: to whip with or as if with a birch

More from Merriam-Webster on birch

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