▪ I. bifurcate, v.
(ˈbaɪfɜːkeɪt)
[f. med.L. bifurcāt-us two-forked (cf. bifurcous and -ate); at first only in the pa. pple., which is also generally used as an adj.]
To divide into two forks, branches, or peaks: a. trans.
| 1615 Crooke Body of Man 905 The utter of these two vneqvall branches..is presently byfurcated. |
b. intr.
| 1831 R. Knox Cloquet's Anat. 746 Sometimes, at its termination, it [Vena Azygos] bifurcates. |
Hence ˈbifurcated, ˈbifurcating ppl. a.
| 1615 Crooke Body of Man 977 The spinall processes of the necke are byfurcated. 1811 Pinkerton Petral. II. 345 Which renders the summit of Etna properly bifurcated. 1845 Darwin Voy. Nat. xx. (1873) 478 [The] atoll is divided by a bifurcating channel. 1853 Th. Ross Humboldt's Trav. III. xxv. 17 The northern branch of the bifurcated river. |
▪ II. bifurcate, a.
(baɪˈfɜːkət)
[f. med.L. bifurcāt-us: see prec.]
= biforked; see also quot. 1880.
| 1835 Lindley Introd. Bot. (1848) I. 342 The filament..is in Crambe bifurcate. 1880 Gray Bot. Text.-bk. 399 Bifurcate, two-forked..But it may mean bis furcatus, forked and again forked. |