offshoot

noun

off·​shoot ˈȯf-ˌshüt How to pronounce offshoot (audio)
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 Sibling By Pushkin’s Sibling By Pushkin’s is an offshoot of gluten-free bakery Pushkin’s. Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 24 Feb. 2024 How good was the food at La Côte Basque, which was an offshoot of Le Pavillon, owned by Henri Soulé. John Mariani, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Originating in Egypt in the 11th century, the religious sect is an offshoot of Islam which permits no converts – either to or from the religion – and no intermarriage. Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 Labonté got involved with the Soldier On program, which is an offshoot of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group working to aid the recovery of ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans through sports and recreation. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 As of last June, the former headquarters of the Italian social security agency is now home to the newest Bulgari Hotel, an offshoot of the luxury jewelry brand. Laura May Todd, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The series, an offshoot of former MTV favorite Teen Wolf and from creator Jeff Davis, wrapped its eight-episode run last March. Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2024 The Yamnaya tongue is one of the earliest offshoots of Proto-Indo-European, and an ancestor of such languages as Greek, German, English, Spanish, Old Celtic, Russian, Persian, Hindi, and Bengali. Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 As some may recall, Braxton Family Values aired for seven seasons, from 2011 to 2020, which also birthed the offshoot, Tamar & Vince. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'offshoot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of offshoot was in 1710

Dictionary Entries Near offshoot

Cite this Entry

“Offshoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offshoot. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

offshoot

noun
off·​shoot ˈȯf-ˌshüt How to pronounce offshoot (audio)
1
: something that branches out from something else
2
: a branch of a main stem of a plant

More from Merriam-Webster on offshoot

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