noun
bifurcation
by-fer-KAY-shuhn
Bifurcation (noun) means the splitting of something into two branches or parts, or the point at which that split happens. Example: “Follow the path to the bifurcation and take the left branch.”
noun
1
The splitting of something into two branches or parts, or the point at which that split happens.
"Follow the path to the bifurcation and take the left branch."
"The surgeon located the bifurcation of the artery."
2
technical In law, the division of a trial or dispute into separate stages that are heard one after the other.
"The judge ordered bifurcation so that liability would be decided before damages."
3
technical In mathematics and physics, a sudden qualitative change in the behaviour of a system as one of its parameters passes a critical value.
"The model shows a bifurcation once the growth rate exceeds three."
How to use bifurcation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA point where one thing divides into two.
When to use it
Formal or technical; in everyday speech people usually say fork or split.
Easily confused with
trifurcation
divergence →
Common pairings
bifurcation point
carotid bifurcation
bifurcation of the trial
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Follow the path to the _____ and take the left branch.
Etymology
From Latin bifurcus, meaning two-pronged, from bi- meaning two and furca meaning fork.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for bifurcation
region
cation
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
See all rhymes for bifurcation →
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bifurcation and divergence?
Bifurcation names the structural split itself, the single point where one thing becomes two. Divergence describes the process of two things moving apart afterwards. A river bifurcates at a fork, and its two channels then diverge across the plain.
Where is the word bifurcation used most?
It is most common in anatomy for branching arteries and airways, in law for trials split into stages, and in mathematics for sudden changes in a system's behaviour. In ordinary writing, fork or split is usually clearer.
What is the meaning of bifurcation?
"bifurcation" (noun) means the splitting of something into two branches or parts, or the point at which that split happens.
What is another word for bifurcation?
Other words for "bifurcation" include fork, division, split, branching, divergence.
