fork

1 of 2

noun

1
: an implement with two or more prongs used especially for taking up (as in eating), pitching, or digging
2
: a forked part, tool, or piece of equipment
3
a
: a division into branches or the place where something divides into branches
4
: one of the branches into which something forks
5
: an attack by one chess piece (such as a knight) on two pieces simultaneously
forkful noun

fork

2 of 2

verb

forked; forking; forks

intransitive verb

1
: to divide into two or more branches
where the road forks
2
a
: to use or work with a fork
b
: to turn into a fork

transitive verb

1
: to give the form of a fork to
forking her fingers
2
: to attack (two chessmen) simultaneously
3
: to raise, pitch, dig, or work with a fork
fork hay
4
: pay, contribute
used with over, out, or up
had to fork over $5000
forker noun

Examples of fork in a Sentence

Noun a fork in the road the north fork of the river the front fork of a bicycle Verb The road forks to the north and south. They forked the hay into the loft.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Pierce the skin of the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, spray with cooking spray, and place in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 20 Nov. 2024 Add potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a fork, about 16 minutes. Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
Hikers looking for a slightly more waterproof, breathable shell can fork over $30 extra for the brand’s (still extremely affordable) Rainier jacket. Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024 On average, parents spent 24% of their household income on child care with nearly half forking over more than $18,000 in 2023, according to an annual survey from Care.com. Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fork 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English forke, from Old English & Anglo-French; Old English forca & Anglo-French furke, from Latin furca

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fork was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near fork

Cite this Entry

“Fork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fork. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

fork

1 of 2 noun
1
: a tool with two or more prongs used especially for taking up (as in eating), pitching, or digging
2
: a forked part or tool
3
a
: a dividing into branches or the place where something divides into branches
a fork in the road
b
: a branch of a fork
take the left fork

fork

2 of 2 verb
1
: to divide into two or more branches
the road forks
2
: to raise or pitch with a fork
fork hay
3
: to give the form of a fork to
forked her fingers
4
: pay entry 1 sense 2, contribute
had to fork over $100
forker noun

Medical Definition

fork

noun
1
: a forked part, tool, or piece of equipment see tuning fork
2
: the lower part of the human body where the legs diverge from the trunk usually including the legs

More from Merriam-Webster on fork

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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