BEECH

[beech] n, pl beech.es or beech [ME beche, fr. OE bece; akin to OE boc beech, OHG buohha, L fagus, Gk phegos oak] (bef. 12c): any of a genus (Fagus of the family Fagaceae, the beech family) of hardwood trees with smooth gray bark and small edible nuts; also: its wood -- beech.en adj