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spin-off
spin-offnouna process of reorganizing a corporate structure whereby the capital stock of a division or subsidiary of a corporation or of a newly affiliated company is transferred to the stockholders of the parent corporation without an exchange of any part of the stock of the latter.
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spin off
spin offverb(tr, preposition) to turn (a part of a business enterprise) into a separate company
spin-off
Americannoun
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Commerce. a process of reorganizing a corporate structure whereby the capital stock of a division or subsidiary of a corporation or of a newly affiliated company is transferred to the stockholders of the parent corporation without an exchange of any part of the stock of the latter.
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any product that is an adaption, outgrowth, or development of another similar product.
The paperback is a spin-off from the large hardcover encyclopedia.
- Synonyms:
- offshoot, issue, by-product
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a secondary or incidental product or effect derived from technological development in a somewhat unrelated area.
- Synonyms:
- offshoot, issue, by-product
verb
noun
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any product or development derived incidentally from the application of existing knowledge or enterprise
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a book, film, or television series derived from a similar successful book, film, or television series
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of spin-off
First recorded in 1945–50; noun use of verb phrase spin off
Compare meaning
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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In April, Semafor reported that Letterboxd was also in talks with Comcast spin-off Versant, which owns Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Xbox gaming division, including Montreal-based Compulsion Games and San Francisco-based Double Fine, are in spin-off talks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
The project is considered a representative spin-off case in which defense research has been adapted for civilian use.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 2, 2026
Comcast said it expects the tax-free spin-off in approximately one year and that it will hold up to 19.9% of NBCUniversal at the outset.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
“This is it. It’s happening. You’re going to reach out, right? This is amazing. Hollywood will make a movie about you two. And a Netflix spin-off about your gay children.”
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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The announcement of price cuts comes ahead of parent company Associated British Foods' plan to spin off the business onto the London stock market next year.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Asics plans to spin off Onitsuka Tiger in early 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The milestone comes as Comcast Corp. prepares to spin off NBCUniversal entertainment and news media businesses into a separate company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Just a week after Comcast announced a plan to spin off NBCUniversal, the Philadelphia media-and-broadband conglomerate said it’s buying a British broadcaster.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
She whips my arm, making me spin off the walkway, cracking us both up.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
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Since then, the original series and its more than a dozen spin-offs have generated nearly 1,000 episodes.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Stretching out a successful series typically leads to spin-offs — and yes, Mills says, those conversations are happening with “Mormon Wives” — at least at the time of the interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026
The upcoming slate is ambitious: a Mandalorian feature film, a new season of Ahsoka, a Darth Maul-centered animated series and several additional series and spin-offs are scheduled for release across Disney+ and theaters.
From Salon ● Jan. 18, 2026
But Weir was involved in various spin-offs, including Dead & Company, which had a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere in 2024 and 2025.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026
By 1980, the Lisp Machine project had generated two commercial spin-offs.
From Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software by Williams, Sam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.