BIFURCATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bifurcate mean? 

• BIFURCATE (adjective)
  The adjective BIFURCATE has 1 sense:

1. resembling a fork; divided or separated into two branches

  Familiarity information: BIFURCATE used as an adjective is very rare.

• BIFURCATE (verb)
  The verb BIFURCATE has 2 senses:

1. split or divide into two

2. divide into two branches

  Familiarity information: BIFURCATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BIFURCATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Resembling a fork; divided or separated into two branches

Synonyms:

bifurcate; biramous; branched; forficate; fork-like; forked; pronged; prongy

Context example:

horseradish grown in poor soil may develop prongy roots

Similar:

divided (separated into parts or pieces)

• BIFURCATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they bifurcate    ... he / she / it bifurcates   
Past simple: bifurcated   
Past participle: bifurcated   
-ing form: bifurcating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Split or divide into two

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "bifurcate" is one way to...):

diverge (extend in a different direction)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

bifurcation (the act of splitting into two branches)

bifurcation (a bifurcating branch (one or both of them))

fork (the act of branching out or dividing into branches)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Divide into two branches

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The road bifurcated

Hypernyms (to "bifurcate" is one way to...):

branch; fork; furcate; ramify; separate (divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

bifurcation (the act of splitting into two branches)

bifurcation (the place where something divides into two branches)

bifurcation (a bifurcating branch (one or both of them))

fork (the act of branching out or dividing into branches)

 Context examples 

DNA-binding motifs formed from two alpha-helixes which intertwine for about eight turns into a coiled coil and then bifurcate to form Y shaped structures.

(Leucine Zipper, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The single primary branch bifurcates sending a peripheral process to carry sensory information from the periphery and a central branch which relays that information to the spinal cord or brain.

(Murine Dorsal Root Ganglion, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

It is characterized by multiple basal cell carcinomas at a young age, odontogenic keratocysts, and skeletal defects (bifurcated and splayed ribs, fusion of vertebrae, spinal bifida).

(Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

A coronary artery that arises from the aorta and bifurcates into the left anterior descending artery and the left circumflex artery.

(Left Coronary Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

Either of three arteries including the common interosseous artery which arises from the ulnar artery and bifurcates into the anterior and posterior interosseous arteries.

(Interosseous Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

An artery arising from the external iliac artery at the inguinal ligament which bifurcates forming the deep and superficial femoral arteries.

(Common Femoral Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

An artery arising from the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta which then bifurcates forming the internal and external iliac arteries.

(Common Iliac Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

The artery formed by the union of the right and left vertebral arteries; it runs from the lower to the upper border of the pons, where it bifurcates into the two posterior cerebral arteries.

(Basilar Artery, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The major arterial trunk that carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta behind the heart, the aortic arch, through the thorax as the descending aorta and through the abdomen as the abdominal aorta; it bifurcates into the left and right common iliac arteries.

(Aorta, NCI Thesaurus)

The DNA-binding residues are located in the bifurcated region of the Y.

(Leucine Zipper, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)