divaricate

English

Etymology

The verb is first attested in 1623, the adjective in 1788; borrowed from Latin dīvāricātus, perfect passive participle of dīvāricō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from dis- + vāricō (to straddle, to stretch (the legs) apart), from vāricus (straddling).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /daɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/

Verb

divaricate (third-person singular simple present divaricates, present participle divaricating, simple past and past participle divaricated)

  1. (ambitransitive) To spread apart; to (cause to) diverge or branch off.

Derived terms

Adjective

divaricate (comparative more divaricate, superlative most divaricate)

  1. (botany) Having wide angles between the branches.

Derived terms

Anagrams

Italian

Etymology 1

Verb

divaricate

  1. inflection of divaricare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

Participle

divaricate f pl

  1. feminine plural of divaricato

Anagrams

Latin

Verb

dīvāricāte

  1. second-person plural present active imperative of dīvāricō