furca

furca "Forke, Gabel"

• Of uncertain origin.
  • In its primary sense of "fork",
    • furca appears to be derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰerk(ʷ)-, *ǵʰerg(ʷ)- (“fork”),
    • although the development of the -c-is difficult to explain.
  • In the other senses, this derivation is unlikely.
  • For those, perhaps it is connected to Proto-Germanic *furkaz, *firkalaz (“stake, stick, pole, post”),
    • from Proto-Indo-European *perg- (“pole, post”).
    • If so, this would relate the word to
      • Old English forclas pl (“bolt”),
      • Old Saxon ferkal (“lock, bolt, bar”),
      • Old Norse forkr (“pole, staff, stick”),
      • Norwegian fork (“stick, bat”),
      • Swedish fork (“pole”).
• Compare also Lithuanian žer̃gti (“to spread the legs”), ži̇̀rklės (“scissors”), though the mismatch of the vowels between the Lithuanian and Latin forms is hard to explain.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈfʊr.ka]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈfur.ka]

Noun

furca f (genitive furcae); first declension

1. A two-pronged fork, pitchfork.
2. A fork-shaped prop, pole or stake.
3. An instrument of punishment, a frame in the form of a fork, which was placed on a culprit's neck, while his hands were fastened to the two ends; yoke.

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	furca	furcae
genitive	furcae	furcārum
dative	furcae	furcīs
accusative	furcam	furcās
ablative	furcā	furcīs
vocative	furca	furcae