furcate

[ adjective fur-keyt, -kit; verb fur-keyt ]

adjective

1. forked; branching.

verb (used without object)

, fur·cat·ed, fur·cat·ing.

1. to form a fork; branch.

furcate

verb

1. to divide into two parts; fork

adjective

1. forked; divided

   furcate branches

Derived Forms

• furˈcation, noun

Other Words From

• fur·ca·tion [fer-, key, -sh, uh, n], noun
• multi·furcate adjective
• un·furcate adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of furcate¹

First recorded in 1810–20, furcate is from the Medieval Latin word furcātus cloven. See fork, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of furcate¹

C19: from Late Latin furcātus forked, from Latin furca a fork

Example Sentences

The threads appear at first sight entirely simple, but are really several times furcate, and not infrequently anastomose.

From Project Gutenberg

The capillitium is very even the taeniae closely wound, the elater-ends often furcate.

From Project Gutenberg

In many species, notably in the genus Thomisus, a furcate mark seems to shadow the forked aorta.

From Project Gutenberg

Often few furcate or four-rayed spicula are intermingled, or some of the spicula are smooth.

From Project Gutenberg

By-spines very numerous, half as long as the radius, furcate, with divergent fork-branches.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cut across

More About Furcate

What does furcate mean?

Furcate means to fork or divide into branches or different parts.

It can also be used as an adjective meaning forked or branching. The adjective furcated can be used to mean the same thing.

Things can furcate on their own or in an otherwise passive way, as in That’s where the river furcates into two branches, or they can be furcated by someone, as in We furcated the road into multiple lanes so more people could exit at once. 

The related verb bifurcate means to divide or fork into two branches or parts, and trifurcate means to divide or fork into three.

The noun furcation refers to the act of furcating or to something that is forked or has been split in such a way. These terms are most often used in technical and scientific contexts, such as engineering and medicine.

Example: The hiking trail furcates about three miles in, so make sure you go down the left branch.

Where does furcate come from?

The first records of furcate come from the 1800s. It comes from the Late Latin furcātus, meaning “forked,” from the Latin furc(a), “fork” (as in a fork in the road or a river).

In normal conversation, you’d say that a road or a river forks or splits, not that it furcates, unless you were trying to sound technical. Furcate is typically used in contexts in which structures are discussed in technical or scientific terms. Furcations can be found throughout nature in things like Y-shaped flowers, the tongues of snakes, even parts of the human body that fork into different channels, such as the arteries of the heart.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to furcate?

• furcated (past tense verb, adjective)
• furcation (noun)

What are some synonyms for furcate?

• split
• fork
• branch
• divide
• forked
• branching

What are some words that share a root or word element with furcate? 

• bifurcate
• trifurcate
• fork

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing furcate?

• river
• road
• path
• trail
• lane
• channel
• artery
• valve

How is furcate used in real life?

Furcate is usually used in technical or scientific contexts.

(2/3) Cord insertion is described relative to the center of the disc: central, eccentric, paramarginal, or marginal. Velamentous insertion occurs when the cord inserts into the membranes instead of the disc. If the vessels separate before the disc, it is considered furcate. pic.twitter.com/38w32EkyzQ

— AAPA Students (@AAPAstudents) July 28, 2019

To the extent that voters do cleave neatly into those lanes- the moderate lane will only furcate more with the addition of Bloomberg. Bernie is also advantaged in that he has renewable resources with his donor base in a way that his opponents (ex-Bloomberg) don’t.

— Ryan Hill (@RyanHillMI) February 12, 2020

Our reality has been deeply omni-furcated since at least the cable TV era. The fact that folks are living different realities is ancient history.

— Brady Dale (@BradyDale) December 28, 2017

 

 

Try using furcate!

Which of the following things is likely to furcate?

A. a tree limb
B. an artery
C. a river
D. all of the above