a. [ad. L. trifid-us, f. tri-, TRI- + fid-, stem of findĕre to split.]
Split or divided into three by deep clefts or notches; three-cleft; esp. in Bot. and Zool.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Leaf.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., II. ix. (1765), 93. Such as have Trifid Corollæ.
1769. Pennant, Brit. Zool., III. 320. The tail is naturally bifid, but in many is trifid.
1872. Mivart, Elem. Anat., ii. 50. In the Howling Monkeys we find a trifid spine.
1895. Pop. Sci. Monthly, Sept., 692. As far back as 1800 Pliny Moody had observed trifid markings upon sandstones.
b. gen. Divided into three parts, or of the nature of such division; tripartite. rare.
1871. Earle, Philol. Eng. Tongue, viii. 417. In that chapter the third section assumed a trifid form.
1902. Sat. Rev., 6 Dec., 711/1. The old trifid division of mammals.
