Beech
/biːtʃ/noun
A deciduous tree of the genus Fagus with smooth gray bark and small nuts called beechnuts.
Did you know?Beech and book are historically connected in Germanic languages, likely because early writing tablets were made from beechwood, or because the tree’s name became associated with carved runes and records.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰeh₂g-
“An ancient root meaning 'beech tree' (reconstructed).”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*bōkō
“Beech tree; in some Germanic languages, the word also became associated with writing tablets and letters.”
Old English
OE
bēce
“Beech tree.”
Middle English
ME
beche
“Beech tree.”
Modern English
English
beech
“A beech tree.”