divaricate

 
Pronunciation: /dʌɪˈvarɪkeɪt, dɪ-/

verb

[no object] technical or literary
  • stretch or spread apart; diverge widely: her crow’s feet are divaricating like deltas

adjective

Botany
  • (of a branch) coming off the stem almost at a right angle.

Derivatives

divarication

Pronunciation: /-ˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/
noun

Origin:

early 17th century: from Latin divaricat- 'stretched apart', from the verb divaricare, from di- (expressing intensive force) + varicare 'stretch the legs apart' (from varicus 'straddling')