bifurcate (verb) - to divide into two forks, branches, or parts [bahy-fer-keyt]
BREAKDOWN: BI- (two) + FURC- (fork) + -ATE (to make or do)
bifurcation is the division of something into two branches or parts or the place where such a split occurs
“Our lives disconnect and reconnect, we move on, and later we may again touch one another, again bounce away. This is the felt shape of a human life, neither simply linear nor wholly disjunctive nor endlessly bifurcating, but rather this bouncey-castle sequence of bumpings-into and tumblings-apart.” —Salman Rushdie
One of my favorite words, and a word that, when I use it (which is often) actual adults don't seem to know. This may be one of those words that you have to learn or you'll never pick it up naturally. (Unless you are a North American archaeologist, where the word is very common.)