bifurcated

[ bahy-fer-key-tid, bahy-fur- ]

adjective

1. divided or forked into two separate aspects or branches:

   In Star Trek, Spock and Kirk together represent a bifurcated hero, with each character representing one aspect of the human condition.

   The bifurcated fiber optic cable transmits light with half its fibers, while the other half act to detect reflected light.

2. Law. (of a trial) occurring in two separate parts, often with determination of guilt in the first part and sentencing or awarding of damages in the second:

   The same jury will usually hear both phases of a bifurcated trial.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of bifurcate.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bifurcated¹

First recorded in 1710–20; bifurcate ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; bifurcate ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Contrary to what it might look like, the bi-stable hinge doesn’t split the shoe in half, but rather bifurcates the outsole, according to Sarah Reinertsen, Nike’s lead designer of the GO FlyEase.

From Popular-Science

To be sure, a zillion Obama critics are dumping on the bifurcated break.

From The Daily Beast

Quindlen said she was avoiding the bifurcated view our culture has of relationships.

From The Daily Beast

The arms were short and thick and ended in bifurcated lumps of flesh like swollen hands encased in old-fashioned mittens.

From Project Gutenberg

The hafting area consists of an expanded stem that is shallowly bifurcated.

From Project Gutenberg

Except for the bifurcated stem some examples are similar to some of the Jude points recovered in this excavation.

From Project Gutenberg

Then, for the first time, the officer recalled that the trail bifurcated like the river itself.

From Project Gutenberg

The hafting area consists of a stem that is usually expanded (rarely, straight) and always deeply bifurcated.

From Project Gutenberg