birch

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) Any of various trees of the genus Betula, native to countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
2. (countable, uncountable) A hard wood taken from the birch tree, typically used to make furniture.
3. (countable, uncountable) A stick, rod or bundle of twigs made from birch wood, used for punishment.
4. (countable, uncountable) A birch-bark canoe.

Verb

1. (transitive) To punish with a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.
2. (transitive) To punish as though one were using a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood.

Synonyms

birch tree

birchen

birken

birch rod

switch

rod

whip

birch wood

twig

Betula

flog

scourge

sprig

staff

stick

flail

tree

🌳

birchwood

wand

flagellate

wicker

withe

withy

birch-tree

cowhide

buff

hunting crop

silver birch

yellow birch

betulaceous

knock about

lather

Translations

bouleau

betulla

abedul

Birke

berk

bedoll

bétula

huş

σημύδα

vidoeiro

berkeboom

betula

beç

Hänge-Birke

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɜːtʃ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: birche

Inherited from Old English: birċe

Cognate with Western Frisian: bjirk

Cognate with German: Birke

Cognate with Dutch: berk

Cognate with Swedish: björk

Cognate with Norwegian: bjørk

Cognate with Sanskrit: भूर्ज

Cognate with Lithuanian: béržas

Cognate with Czech: bříza

Cognate with Ossetic: бӕрз

Cognate with Russian: берёза

Cognate with Latin: fraxinus

Cognate with Albanian: bredh

In summary

PIE word
*bʰerHǵós
From Middle English birche, birk, from Old English birċe, bierċe, from Proto-West Germanic *birkijā, from Proto-Germanic *birkijǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerHǵos.
Cognates
Compare West Frisian bjirk, German Birke, variant of *berkō (compare Dutch berk, Danish birk, Swedish björk, Norwegian bjørk), Sanskrit भूर्ज (bhūrjá), Lithuanian béržas, Czech bříza, Ossetian бӕрз (bærz), Russian берёза (berjóza)), Latin fraxinus (“ash tree, ash javelin”), Albanian bredh.