Added 3 October 2026
fork
/fɔːk/ noun
In Latin: furca Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fork at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Any of several types of pronged (tined) tools (physical tools), as follows: A utensil with spikes used to put solid food into the mouth, or to hold food down while cutting, or for serving food.
- A utensil with spikes used to put solid food into the mouth, or to hold food down while cutting, or for serving food.
- Any of several types of pronged tools for use on farms, in fields, or in the garden or lawn, such as a smaller hand fork for weeding or a larger one for turning over the soil. Such a pronged tool having a long straight handle, generally for two-handed use, as used for digging, lifting, mucking, pitching, etc.
verb
-
To divide into two or more branches or copies.
A road, a tree, or a stream forks.
- To spawn a new child process by duplicating the existing process.
- To launch a separate software development effort based upon a modified copy of an existing software project, especially in free and open-source software.
noun
verb
Origin
From Middle English forke (“digging fork”), from Old English force, forca (“forked instrument used to torture”), from Proto-West Germanic *furkō (“fork”), from Latin furca (“pitchfork, forked stake; gallows, beam, stake, support post, yoke”), of uncertain origin. The Middle English word was later reinforced by Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French forque (= Old French forche whence French fourche), also from the Latin. Doublet of fourche and furcate. Cognate also with North Frisian forck (“fork”), Dutch vork (“fork”), Danish fork (“fork”), German Forke (“pitchfork”). Displaced native gafol, ġeafel, ġeafle (“fork”), from Old English.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)