FORK - Definition & Meaning for Kids
Meaning 1
Part of speech: Noun
cutlery used for serving and eating food
Categories: Cutlery, Eating utensil
Meaning 2
Part of speech: Noun
the region of the angle formed by the junction of two branches
Example: they took the south fork; he climbed into the crotch of a tree
Categories: Branch, Leg, Ramification
Meaning 3
Part of speech: Verb
shape like a fork
Example: She forked her fingers
Categories: Shape, Form
Meaning 4
Part of speech: Verb
place under attack with one's own pieces, of two enemy pieces
Categories: Attack, Aggress
Synonyms
Ramify, Separate, Forking, Branching, Branch
🌱 Word Origin (Etymology)
The word "fork" comes from Proto-Indo-European *perg-. It started in Proto-Germanic *furkaz. Then it appeared in Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰerk(ʷ)-. Later, people used it in Old Northern French forque. After that, it was Latin furca. Over time, it became Proto-West Germanic *furkō. Finally, it reached Old English force. It started in Middle English forke. Many other languages have similar words:.
- Old French: forche
- French: fourche
- North Frisian: forck
- Dutch: vork
- Danish: fork
- German: Forke
- Latin: furca
- Old English: forclas
- Old Saxon: ferkal
- Old Norse: forkr
- Norwegian: fork
- Swedish: fork
🧩 Fun Fact
Following this word's journey reveals ancient trade routes and cultural exchanges.