birch

UK: /ˈbɜː^rtʃ/ US: /bɝtʃ/ ,(bûrch)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

birch /bɜrtʃ/   n. 

1. Plant Biology [countable] a tree having a smooth, peeling outer bark and close-grained wood.
2. Plant Biology [uncountable] the wood itself.
3. [countable] a birch rod used esp. for whipping.

adj. 

4. Furniture of, relating to, or made of birch:
   birch beer.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

birch  (bûrch), n. 

1. Plant Biology any tree or shrub of the genus Betula, comprising species with a smooth, laminated outer bark and close-grained wood. Cf. birch family.
2. Plant Biology the wood itself.
3. a birch rod, or a bundle of birch twigs, used esp. for whipping.

adj. 

4. Plant Biology, Furniture birchen.

v.t. 

5. to beat or punish with or as if with a birch:
   The young ruffians were birched soundly by their teacher.

• bef. 900; Middle English birche, Old English birce; cognate with Old High German birka (German Birke); akin to Sanskrit bhūrja kind of birch

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

birch / bɜːtʃ/ noun

1. any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula, having thin peeling bark
   See also silver birch
2. the hard close-grained wood of any of these trees
3. the birch ⇒ a bundle of birch twigs or a birch rod used, esp formerly, for flogging offenders

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the birch
2. consisting or made of birch

verb

1. (transitive) to flog with a birch

Etymology: Old English bierce; related to Old High German birihha, Sanskrit bhūrja

ˈbirchen adjective