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
Synonyms
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
Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
The cult-favorite kitchenware brand's new streamlined, stainless steal pieces includes a can opener, pizza cutter, garlic press, ice cream scoop and vegetable peeler, which can all be stored in the accompanying birch wood organizer for easy access.
—Hannah Chubb, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024
The fiberboard and birch plywood showed no wear and tear, even with a 5-year-old slamming the doors out of excitement.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 Mar. 2024
Its frame is made from pine wood and contains solid wood birch legs as well as hidden support legs which are utilized when laid flat for sleeping.
—Jenna Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024
Schmidt said that Neanderthals were already known to have made an adhesive from birch tar, which involved several steps to produce from tree bark by distillation.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024
Trees like aspen and basswood are more likely to break than hickory, birch and oak.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2024
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
Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune, 11 Sep. 2020
Noun
In the rural area along the Straits, where birch and cedar trees line single-lane highways and the next bend in the road might offer a glimpse of shimmering blue lake waters stretching to the horizon, the fate of Line 5 is weighing on residents.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
The cult-favorite kitchenware brand's new streamlined, stainless steal pieces includes a can opener, pizza cutter, garlic press, ice cream scoop and vegetable peeler, which can all be stored in the accompanying birch wood organizer for easy access.
—Hannah Chubb, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024
The fiberboard and birch plywood showed no wear and tear, even with a 5-year-old slamming the doors out of excitement.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 Mar. 2024
Its frame is made from pine wood and contains solid wood birch legs as well as hidden support legs which are utilized when laid flat for sleeping.
—Jenna Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024
Schmidt said that Neanderthals were already known to have made an adhesive from birch tar, which involved several steps to produce from tree bark by distillation.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024
Trees like aspen and basswood are more likely to break than hickory, birch and oak.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2024
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
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Birch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birch. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
birch
2 of 2 verb
: to whip with or as if with a birch
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