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red birch

red birch

1 6.5
A tree with reddish-brown bark that grows near rivers and swamps in the eastern United States
  • noun
  • /rɛd bɜːrtʃ/
  • US
translation icon : abeto rojo
  • The red birch tree stood tall by the river.

Examples

  • The forest was dotted with red birch rising beside the marshy riverbank.

  • Many birds nest in the branches of the red birch during spring.

  • We identified the tree as a red birch by its distinctive reddish-brown bark.

  • I saw a red birch in the park yesterday.

  • The craftsman chose to use red birch for its beautiful reddish-brown bark in the sculpture.

  • In the wetlands, you can often find red birch trees thriving near the water's edge.

  • During our hike, we spotted several red birch trees marked by their striking bark color.

Synonyms

birch tree
vsred birch
3 2.1

A tree with thin white bark that peels and slender branches

is narrower, referring specifically to trees with reddish brown bark in swamps
river birch
vsred birch
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A North American tree with peeling reddish-brown bark that grows near rivers and in swamps

is a general descriptive name focusing on bark colour and habitat
Betula nigra
vsred birch
  • Specialized
9.9

A tree with reddish-brown peeling bark that grows along rivers and in wet ground

is the common descriptive name rather than the formal species label
birk
vsred birch
  • UK
9.9

A tree with white, peeling bark and small leaves

is the descriptive standard name highlighting reddish brown bark and habitat

Surface Forms

red birch singular
red birches plural

Morphology

red + birch

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun combination: a B1 learner who knows 'red' (a color) and 'birch' (a tree) will infer it denotes a birch tree that is red in color. This color‑noun compositional pattern is common across languages and standard in English, so the core meaning is immediately derivable (habitat details in the dictionary definition are supplementary).

Etymology

The name red birch comes from the tree's reddish-brown bark: the word red points to the colour of the trunk and birch is the type of tree. Because these trees often grow near rivers and marshes, people used the name to mean the birch with red bark you find in wet places.