Where does “trifurcate” come from?

trifurcate (English) comes from Latin trifurcus, from Latin tri-, from Latin trēs, from Proto-Italic trēs, from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes.

trifurcate (English): Forked, with three tines or points; To divide or...

Definitions

  1. Forked, with three tines or points; To divide or...

Ancestry of “trifurcate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latintrifurcushaving three forks, prongs, or points
2Latintri-three, tri-
3Latintrēsthree; 3
4Proto-Italictrēsthree
5Proto-Indo-European*tréyes—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes →Every word from Proto-Italic trēs →Every word from Latin trēs →
trifurcate — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer