FORFICATE

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

(adjective) resembling a fork; divided or separated into two branches; “the biramous appendages of an arthropod”; “long branched hairs on its legson which pollen collects”; “a forked river”; “a forked tail”; “forked lightning”; “horseradish grown in poor soil may develop prongy roots”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

forficate (comparative more forficate, superlative most forficate)

(zoology) Deeply forked, like the tails of certain birds.

Source: Wiktionary


For"fi*cate, a. Etym: [L. forfex, forficis, shears.] (Zoöl.)

Definition: Deeply forked, as the tail of certain birds.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

17 May 2025

ANTHOZOAN

(noun) sessile marine coelenterates including solitary and colonial polyps; the medusoid phase is entirely suppressed


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Coffee Trivia

Hawaii and California are the only two U.S. states that grow coffee plants commercially.

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