English Explanatory Dictionary

divaricate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To spread apart; to (cause to) diverge or branch off.
adj
  1. Having wide angles between the branches.

Pronunciation

/daɪˈvæɹɪkeɪt/

Word forms

divaricate divaricates divaricating divaricated more divaricate most divaricate

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”).

Related words

prevaricate prevarication prevaricator

Derived words

divaricatingly divaricately
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