Fourches

Fourches is the plural form of fourche, a French noun meaning fork. The term appears in several contexts, but it preserves the core idea of a pronged division or a tool with multiple tines.

In everyday and agricultural use, fourche refers to a hand-held fork or pitchfork used to lift, move, or spread loose materials such as hay, straw, compost, or manure. These implements typically feature two or more tines attached to a handle and are common in farming, gardening, and landscape work. The plural fourches is used when discussing multiple forks.

In mechanical and transportation contexts, fourche designates the front fork of a bicycle or motorcycle. This component, which holds the front wheel and connects to the frame, may include suspension in modern models. The term is standard in French technical vocabulary and is understood in related languages.

Geographically and infrastructurally, fourche describes a fork or bifurcation in natural or man-made networks. For example, a river may form “la fourche” where it splits into two branches, or a road junction may be described as a fourche if it diverges in two directions. In historical maps or descriptions, the term may appear as la fourche or simply as a reference to a bifurcation point.

Usage notes: fourches denotes multiple forks. In English-language texts about French terminology, the English equivalent forks is used, with fourche or fourches retained when referring to specific French terms or contexts.