bifurcate
/ˈbɪfəˌkeɪt/BIH-fur-kayt
/ˈbɪfɚˌkeɪt/BIH-fur-kayt
Meaningto fork in two
Common meaning: to split into two branches
- bitwo
- furcpitchfork with two tinesLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 795 · scan
- ateverb or adjective ending: to make, having
‘two’ + ‘pitchfork with two tines’ → bifurcate
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Latin furca ‘pitchfork with two tines’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry furca, p. 795 · dictionary scan
Roots
- furca, -ae Latin “pitchfork with two tines”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app