bifurcate

[ verb, adjective bahy-fer-keyt, bahy-fur-keyt; adjective also bahy-fer-kit, bahy-fur- ]
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verb (used with or without object),bi·fur·cat·ed, bi·fur·cat·ing.
  1. to divide or fork into two branches.

adjective
  1. divided into two branches.

Origin of bifurcate

1
First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin bifurcātus “forked in two,” past participle of bifurcāre “to fork in two,” from bi- bi-1 + furc(a) fork + -āre, infinitive verb suffix

Other words from bifurcate

  • bi·fur·cate·ly [bahy-fer-keyt-lee; bahy-fur-keyt-lee, -kit-], /ˌbaɪ fərˈkeɪt li; baɪˈfɜr keɪt li, -kɪt-/, adverb
  • bi·fur·ca·tion [bahy-fer-key-shuhn], /ˌbaɪ fərˈkeɪ ʃən/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use bifurcate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bifurcate

bifurcate

verb(ˈbaɪfəˌkeɪt)
  1. to fork or divide into two parts or branches

adjective(ɪbaɪˈfəˌkeɪt, -kɪt)
  1. forked or divided into two sections or branches

Origin of bifurcate

1
C17: from Medieval Latin bifurcātus, from Latin bifurcus, from bi- 1 + furca fork

Derived forms of bifurcate

  • bifurcation, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for bifurcate

bifurcate

[ fər-kāt′, bī-fûr- ]


  1. Forked or divided into two parts or branches, as the Y-shaped styles of certain flowers or the tongues of snakes.

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