divaricate

verb

di·​var·​i·​cate dī-ˈver-ə-ˌkāt 

də,

-ˈva-rə-

divaricated; divaricating

transitive verb

: to spread apart : branch off : diverge

Word History

Etymology

Latin divaricatus, past participle of divaricare, from dis- + varicare to straddle — more at prevaricate

First Known Use

1673, in the meaning defined above