1. Any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula having a thin peeling bark
   "The white bark of the birch tree stood out against the dark forest";
   - birch tree
    
2. Hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
   "The modern kitchen featured sleek birch cabinets"
    
3. A switch consisting of a twig or a bundle of twigs from a birch tree; used to hit people as punishment
   "my father never spared the birch";
   - birch rod [archaic]

1. Consisting of or made of wood of the birch tree
   "The birch bark canoe was a testament to traditional craftsmanship";
   - birchen [archaic], birken

1. Whip with a birch twig
   "The strict schoolmaster birched the misbehaving students"

Derived forms: birched, birches, birching

See also: woody

Type of: flog, lash, lather, slash, strap, switch, tree, trounce, welt, whale [N. Amer, informal], whip, wood

Part of: Betula, genus Betula

Encyclopedia: Birch, Mark