birthyadj.
/ˈbəːθi/, U.S. /ˈbərθi/, Scottish English /ˈbɪrθɪ/, Irish English /ˈbəːrθi/ Scottish, English regional (Northumberland), and (now only) Irish English (northern).
Originally of soil, land, etc.: †producing an abundance of plants; fertile (obsolete). In later use of a plant, esp. a crop: producing a good yield; fruitful, prolific.
ΚΠ
a1525 Bk. Sevyne Sagis l. 321 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 11 He chargit his gardinar to kyth All cure with erd yat war birthy.
c1686 R. Law Memorialls (1818) 159 The last year's crop..was not birthie.
1842 Fife Herald 28 July 90/1 Green crop is making wonderful progress; field potatoes, where tried, have been found birthy.
1939 Monthly Rep. (Govt. N. Ireland Ministry Agric.) July 155 It was reported that the yields are poor in many cases as the plants did not appear to be so ‘birthy’ as a year ago.
1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 25/2 Birthy, of potatoes, etc. productive, fruitful.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2020; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.a1525