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di·var·i·cate

(dī-vărĭ-kāt′, dĭ-)

intr.v. di·var·i·cat·ed, di·var·i·cat·ing, di·var·i·cates

To diverge at a wide angle; spread apart.

adj. (dī-vărə-kĭt, -kāt′, dĭ-)

1. Biology Branching or spreading widely from a point or axis, as the branches of a tree or shrub; diverging.

2. Relating to a separation of two bones normally adjacent or attached but not located in a joint; distatic.

[Latin dīvāricāre, dīvāricāt- : dī, dis-, dis- + vāricāre, to straddle (from vārus, bent).]

di·vari·cate′ly adv.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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