offshoot

[ awf-shoot, of- ]

noun

1. a branch or lateral shoot from a main stem, as of a plant.
2. anything conceived of as springing or proceeding from a main stock:

   an offshoot of a discussion.

3. a branch, descendant, or scion of a specific population or family.

offshoot

/ ˈɒfˌʃuːt /

noun

1. a shoot or branch growing from the main stem of a plant
2. something that develops or derives from a principal source or origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of offshoot¹

First recorded in 1665–75; off + shoot ¹

Example Sentences

Another popular hashtag they use is “address book,” a near homonym for “homosexual” in Chinese, which has also spawned the offshoot keywords “female notebook” or “male notebook.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Pharmacy Guild is an offshoot of the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents tens of thousands of healthcare workers.

From Los Angeles Times

The next time you read about the twisted mind of a mass shooter, look to see if the reasoning the shooter used is an offshoot of the illogic behind the death penalty.

From Slate

Shangri-La is an offshoot of Shangri-La Entertainment, an organization started by the late philanthropist and film producer Stephen Bing.

From Los Angeles Times

Luke's part of Team Redline – an offshoot of Red Bull’s F1 team which boasts Belgian-Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen among its alumni.

From BBC

Related Words

• outgrowth
• spin-off