divaricate

English

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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

• divaricatingly

Related terms

• prevaricate
• prevarication
• prevaricator

Adjective

divaricate (comparative more divaricate, superlative most divaricate)

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

Derived terms

• divaricately

Anagrams

• radicative, vicariated

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

• radicatevi, recidivata

Latin

Verb

dīvāricāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of dīvāricō