birch /bɜːtʃ $ bɜːrtʃ/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: birce , beorc ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] a tree with smooth ↑ bark (=outer covering) and thin branches, or the wood from this tree
2 . the birch British English the practice of hitting people with birch sticks as an official punishment
⇨ ↑ silver birch