furca

Meaning

1. (declension-1, feminine) A two-pronged fork, pitchfork.
2. (declension-1, feminine) A fork-shaped prop, pole or stake.
3. (declension-1, feminine) 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.

Concepts

fork

pitchfork

a fork

narrow pass

forked branch

Translations

Gabel

fourchette

forchetta

garfo

tenedor

vork

forca

fourche

πιρούνι

forquilla

forcone

Verzweigung

pi’runi

Pronounced as (IPA)

[ˈfʊr.ka]

Etymology

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.