bifurcate

verb

bi·​fur·​cate ˈbī-(ˌ)fər-ˌkāt  bī-ˈfər- 

bifurcated; bifurcating

transitive verb

: to cause to divide into two branches or parts

bifurcate a beam of light

intransitive verb

: to divide into two branches or parts

The stream bifurcates into two narrow channels.

bifurcate

(ˌ)bī-ˈfər-kət  -ˌkāt  ˈbī-(ˌ)fər-ˌkāt 

adjective

Did you know?

Yogi Berra, the baseball great who was noted for his head-scratching quotes, is purported to have said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Berra's advice might not offer much help when you're making tough decisions in life, but perhaps it will help you remember bifurcate. A road that bifurcates splits in two, like the one in Berra's adage. Other things can bifurcate (or be bifurcated) as well, such as an organization that splits, or is split, into two factions. Bifurcate comes from the Latin adjective bifurcus, meaning "two-pronged," a combination of the prefix bi- ("two") and the noun furca ("fork"). Furca, as you may have guessed, is also an ancestor of fork, which refers to the handy utensil that can (in a pinch) help us—as Berra might say—to cut our pizza in four pieces when we're not hungry enough to eat six.

Examples of bifurcate in a Sentence

The stream bifurcated into two narrow winding channels.

bifurcate a beam of light

Recent Examples on the Web

Consumers are also increasingly bifurcated. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2025

Braude described Gaza’s reality as bifurcated. —Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025

Especially given the value of sports rights, some programmers could also bifurcate their rights. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025

The lens surface gradually transitions in prescription strength, with no lines bifurcating your vision. —Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin bifurcatus, past participle of bifurcare, from Latin bifurcus two-pronged, from bi- + furca fork

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for bifurcate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

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Medical Definition

bifurcate

intransitive verb

bi·​fur·​cate ˈbī-(ˌ)fər-ˌkāt  bī-ˈfər- 

bifurcated; bifurcating

: to divide into two branches or parts

bifurcate

(ˈ)bī-ˈfər-kət  -ˌkāt; ˈbī-(ˌ)fər-ˌkāt 

adjective

or bifurcated

-ˌkāt-əd 

bifurcation

ˌbī-(ˌ)fər-ˈkā-shən 

noun