Bifold
/ˈbaɪ.foʊld/noun
Folded into two parts or having two leaves or sections.
Did you know?Bifold is a straightforward compound, but its first element comes from the same ancient Indo-European root that gives us words like twice, between, and both—so even a simple hinge hides a deep history of division and pairing.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dwo-
“two”
Old English
Old English
fealdan
“to fold, bend over”
Late Old English / Middle English
English
bi- + folden
“two-fold, doubled over”
Modern English
English
bifold
“having two folds or two leaves”