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

When the redistricting commission decided to split Rancho Peñasquitos in its final map in 2011, “it felt like we were a residential offshoot that was cut off from its body,” Brad Chang said.

From Voice of San Diego

Burns started the company as an offshoot of his previous startup, Workhorse Group.

From TechCrunch

Lordstown Motors is an offshoot of the now former CEO Steve Burns’ other company, Workhorse Group, a battery-electric transportation technology company that is also publicly traded.

From TechCrunch

One of the new shows is an offshoot of the “Slow Burn” franchise called “One Year” launching in June.

From Digiday

These companies are spending thousands and millions of dollars on shows that are effectively offshoots of their marketing campaigns, so they need to show these shows are delivering are return on that investment.

From Digiday

Target was established in 1962 by the Dayton brothers as a discount offshoot of their eponymous Twin Cities department store.

From The Daily Beast

Well, because in a rare move, the film is being released this week by Codeblack Entertainment, a small offshoot of Lionsgate.

From The Daily Beast

Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, now anathema to Cairo's military regime.

From The Daily Beast

On the Syrian battlefield, the lines between the Brotherhood and Jabhat al-Nusra, an offshoot of al Qaeda, often are blurred.

From The Daily Beast

Hamas arose as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the connection between the two groups are strong.

From The Daily Beast

The Disciples are just as evidently an offshoot from the Baptists, as children are an offshoot from the parental stock.

From Project Gutenberg

Behind this, hiding itself as it were and almost invisible, nestled a smaller excrescence or offshoot.

From Project Gutenberg

The Amorites would appear to have been an eastern offshoot of the same race.

From Project Gutenberg

The Hittites of Hebron, however, may really have been an offshoot of the Hittite nations of the north.

From Project Gutenberg

Probably the buffalo had never before seen this offshoot of civilization, for he was much alarmed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• outgrowth
• spin-off