offshoot

Imagine a strong tree sending out a smaller branch from its trunk. That smaller branch is a good picture of an offshoot. An offshoot is something that grows out of something larger or older, while still staying connected to it in some way. A local bookstore might launch an online shop as an offshoot of its main business. A political movement might form an offshoot that focuses on one special issue. The idea is not just "something that happened next," but a related new branch that comes from the original source.

The word "offshoot" describes something that develops from something else, like a branch growing from a tree trunk. It suggests a clear link to the original source, but also some separate growth of its own.

An offshoot can be literal, referring to a physical branch or shoot. But more often, it is used figuratively. A new political party that breaks away from an older one can be called an offshoot. A company may create a smaller brand as an offshoot of its main business. A religious group, school of art, or area of study may also be described this way when it grows out of an earlier one.

The word is common when talking about organizations, movements, families of ideas, and business ventures. In biology, too, later forms may be described as offshoots of earlier ones. In each case, the newer thing is not fully separate from its origin: it comes from it and still shows that connection.

The key to understanding "offshoot" is that it is usually more than just a part of something. It is a new branch, group, or development that comes from an older one. So when something new grows out of an existing idea, movement, or organization, that new thing may be an offshoot.