bifurcation

bi·fur·ca·tion | \ ˌbī-(ˌ)fər-ˈkā-shən

How to pronounce bifurcation (audio)

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Definition of bifurcation

1a : the point or area at which something divides into two branches or parts : the point at which bifurcating occurs Inflammation may occlude the bifurcation of the trachea.

2 : the state of being divided into two branches or parts : the act of bifurcating

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Examples of bifurcation in a Sentence

a thoughtful book about the nation's bifurcation into two distinct and antagonistic cultures a divisive issue that caused the bifurcation of the political party

Recent Examples on the Web Our findings indicate a bifurcation in hospital settings. — Teresa Leste, STAT, "Specialization improves return on capital in the life sciences," 23 Oct. 2019 But gaming companies hosting multinational esports tournaments provide a rare space where that bifurcation between China and the rest of the internet is less pronounced, Dube said. — Los Angeles Times, "This gamer’s punishment over Hong Kong protest shows China’s sway over U.S. companies," 9 Oct. 2019 As a pair of talent-laden teams march to the postseason, might an unprecedented national bifurcation have found its way into Atlanta's sports venues, its precious few remaining patches of common ground? — Brian Burnsed, SI.com, "Two Playoff Teams, Two New Stadiums and One Great Divide," 3 Oct. 2019 Thus, the automakers were worried that the Trump administration was preparing standards that California would never agree to and therefore would likely produce a bifurcation in the US market. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Trump to eliminate California’s car emission standards waiver," 17 Sep. 2019 The Huawei fallout could lead to the bifurcation of global markets into two incompatible 5G camps (see map). — The Economist, "SecurityCompanies must get ready for a riskier world," 11 July 2019 Google’s Eric Schmidt has spoken about a bifurcation between a Chinese and non-Chinese internet (the latter led by the US). — Justin Sherman, WIRED, "Russia and Iran Plan to Fundamentally Isolate the Internet," 6 June 2019 Judge Chhabria said that while a bifurcation order in court trials is unusual and should be granted with caution, it was warranted in this case. — Donato Paolo Mancini, WSJ, "Bayer Shares Jump After Monsanto Weedkillers Court Ruling," 4 Jan. 2019 Long-term bifurcation of wealth has helped some U.S. retailers that cater to low-income shoppers face off against Amazon.com Inc. with fewer bruises because those households are less likely to shop online. — Khadeeja Safdar, WSJ, "Store Traffic Falls Again on Black Friday but Not All News Is Bad," 25 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bifurcation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near bifurcation

bifurcate collateral

bifurcate merging

Statistics for bifurcation

Cite this Entry

“Bifurcation.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bifurcation. Accessed 18 January 2020.

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