1
a
: a collateral or derived branch, descendant, or member : outgrowth
b
: a lateral branch (as of a mountain range)
2
: a branch of a main stem especially of a plant
Examples of offshoot in a Sentence
The business started as an offshoot of an established fashion design company.
we knew the rosebush had survived the harsh winter when it began producing offshoots and turning green again
Recent Examples on the Web
Now Qatar—a state that shelters Hamas leaders, bankrolls Muslim Brotherhood offshoots, and runs influence operations the world over—enjoys the protection of an American guarantee.
—
Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The organization behind the naked bike ride is an offshoot of the Portland World Naked Bike Ride, a group that holds naked bike rides in Portland as a form of protest.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
The offshoot, named World Naked Bike Ride Portland, has hosted protests in recent years including a nude ride against Zenith Energy, a fuel storage company that has faced scrutiny over its terminal along the Willamette River in northwest Portland.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Ursa Major calls Draper a tactical offshoot of its earlier Hadley rocket motor, which has been used in hypersonic test vehicles.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offshoot
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Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The organization behind the naked bike ride is an offshoot of the Portland World Naked Bike Ride, a group that holds naked bike rides in Portland as a form of protest.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
The offshoot, named World Naked Bike Ride Portland, has hosted protests in recent years including a nude ride against Zenith Energy, a fuel storage company that has faced scrutiny over its terminal along the Willamette River in northwest Portland.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Ursa Major calls Draper a tactical offshoot of its earlier Hadley rocket motor, which has been used in hypersonic test vehicles.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offshoot
Cite this Entry
“Offshoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offshoot. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
offshoot
noun
off·shoot
ˈȯf-ˌshüt 
1
: something that branches out from something else
2
: a branch of a main stem of a plant
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