bifid

Bifid is an adjective used to describe something that is divided or split into two parts. The word comes from the Latin bifidus, formed from bi- meaning two and findere meaning to split. In scientific and medical contexts it is used to denote forked or two-lobed morphology.

In anatomy and medicine, bifid describes structures that are split into two. A common example is a bifid uvula, a congenital variation in which the uvula is divided. In botany, the term is used for leaves, petals, or other plant parts that are deeply cleft to form two lobes. In dentistry or pathology, terms such as bifid tooth or bifid roots may be used to describe rare tooth morphologies with dual cusps or split features, though such usages are not common.

In microbiology and taxonomy, bifid appears in the naming of organisms with bifid shapes or divisions. The genus Bifidobacterium derives from Latin bifidus, meaning “split into two parts,” reflecting a characteristic of the cells. The genus includes species such as Bifidobacterium bifidum, and members are notable as common inhabitants of the human gut, often used as probiotics. Their morphology or colony appearance can be described as bifid in some descriptions.

The term is closely related to related forms such as bifurcation and bifid in biology, where it conveys the idea of a two-part division or forked structure.