birch

\ ˈbərch

Definition of birch

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

verb

birched; birching; birches

Definition of birch (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

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

Other Words from birch Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about birch

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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 Geneticists were able to sequence the genome and oral microbiome of the last person to chew the birch pitch -- a girl who lived 5,700 years ago in what's now Denmark. — Katie Hunt, CNN, "Science's most fascinating and awe-inspiring discoveries in 2020," 29 Dec. 2020 This Baltic birch dinosaur wine holder holds a standard 750ml wine bottle can be made with a dark walnut finish, a beeswax and orange oil finish, or an unfinished natural wood. — Billy Cadden, Popular Science, "Gifts for people who really love dinosaurs," 8 Dec. 2020 In the fall, when evergreen Douglas fir was still growing and deciduous birch was losing its leaves, the net flow reversed. — New York Times, "The Social Life of Forests," 2 Dec. 2020 Among them are four sessions, Dec. 19 and 20, of a hands-on class in making traditional Nordic birch bark star ornaments (tinyurl.com/y43ut7fx). — Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune, "Virtual classes, parties and tours bring on holiday traditions from around the world," 20 Nov. 2020 Native oak, cherry, cottonwood, willow and birch are several of the best tree choices. — Matthew Cicanese And Erika Reiter, Smithsonian Magazine, "Meet the Ecologist Who Wants You to Unleash the Wild on Your Backyard," 10 Apr. 2020 Growing up amid the hundreds of lakes and vast beech, maple, and birch tree forests of northern Wisconsin's Vilas County, Dr. Tim Frandy, 42, always had an affinity for the outdoors. — Laura Kiniry, Condé Nast Traveler, "What We Can Learn From the Sámi Tradition of Reading Snow," 2 Dec. 2020 This board is pure luxury, made from a combination of woods, including beech and birch. — Janelle Randazza, USA TODAY, "26 popular chess sets for people obsessed with The Queen's Gambit," 2 Dec. 2020 In the summer, when the smaller Douglas fir trees were generally shaded, carbon mostly flowed from birch to fir. — New York Times, "The Social Life of Forests," 2 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Find yellow aspen and birch along the shoreline and red maples inland. — Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune, "Where to go in Minnesota to enjoy the fullest of fall colors," 11 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'birch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.