fork
14 synonyms and 1 antonym for fork, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A pronged utensil used for eating or serving food.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A pronged utensil used for eating or serving food.
“Please put a knife and fork on the left and right of each plate.”
2. noun
A point where a road, path, or river splits into two directions.
“Our village lies just beyond the fork where the main road divides.”
Opposites
How to use fork
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
fork in the road
knife and fork
fork over (money)
Etymology
From Old English forca, from Latin furca ("pitchfork, forked stake").
Full origin of fork →Frequently asked questions
What does “fork” mean?
The word “fork” means a pronged utensil used for eating or serving food. In plain terms, a pronged eating tool, or any point/place that splits into two directions or versions.
How do you pronounce “fork”?
“Fork” is pronounced fawk (/fɔɹk/ in IPA).
How do you use “fork” in a sentence?
Here is “fork” used in a sentence: “She picked up her fork and started on the salad.”
What part of speech is “fork”?
Depending on how it is used, “fork” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “fork” come from?
The word “fork” comes from Latin. From Old English forca, from Latin furca ("pitchfork, forked stake").
Is “fork” a common word?
“Fork” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “fork” have?
“Fork” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a pronged utensil used for eating or serving food.
What is a fork in programming or on GitHub?
In software development, a fork is a separate copy of a project's code that can then be developed independently of the original. On GitHub, "forking" a repository copies it into your own account so you can experiment or propose changes. Some forks stay in sync with the original; others become permanently independent projects.
What is a hard fork in cryptocurrency?
In cryptocurrency, a fork is a change to a blockchain's rules that splits it into two versions. A "hard fork" is incompatible with the old rules and can create a separate coin, while a "soft fork" remains backward-compatible. The term extends the ordinary sense of "fork": a single line splitting into branches.
