Possibly from Old English 'bæce' (stream) or a dialect word for pebbles; replaced 'strand' as the common word for shoreline.
A pebbly or sandy shore at the edge of the sea or a lake.
Origin uncertain. Possibly from Old English 'bæce' meaning 'stream,' or from a dialect word for shingle or pebbles. Before 'beach,' English used 'strand' for the shoreline. Key roots: bæce (Old English: "stream (possibly)").