birch
UK: bɜːtʃ | US: bɜːrtʃ
n. a slender, fast-growing deciduous tree with smooth bark and slender branches
n. the hard, pale wood of this tree, often used for furniture or flooring
vt. to beat someone with a birch twig as a form of punishment (historical)
The word "birch" traces back to Old English bierce or beorc, derived from Proto-Germanic berk-jōn. This term is linked to the Proto-Indo-European root bʰerHǵ-, meaning "to shine, bright, white," referencing the tree’s distinctive pale bark. The verb sense ("to beat with a birch rod") emerged in the 16th century, reflecting the historical use of birch twigs for corporal punishment.
The forest was dominated by tall birch trees with peeling white bark.
She crafted a delicate chair from polished birch wood.
In medieval schools, misbehaving students were sometimes birched as discipline.
The artist sketched the silver birch against the autumn sky.
Birch sap is traditionally harvested in early spring for making syrup.