branch

/bræntʃ/

/brɑntʃ/

Other forms: branches; branched; branching

A branch can mean the "arm" of a tree, or any other kind of arm––a branch of a bank is a division of the bank.

Branch also works as a verb. If you play soccer every day after school and you want to "branch out" athletically, you might consider playing tennis. You might turn onto a little road that branches off a main one. A branch of a river is called a tributary.

Definitions of branch

1. noun

   a division of a stem, or secondary stem arising from the main stem of a plant
   types:

   deadwood

   a branch or a part of a tree that is dead

   limb, tree branch

   any of the main branches arising from the trunk or a bough of a tree

   branchlet, sprig, twig

   a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year

   brier

   a thorny stem or twig

   wand

   a thin supple twig or rod

   withe, withy

   strong flexible twig

   stick

   a small thin branch of a tree

   bough

   any of the larger branches of a tree

   type of:

   stalk, stem

   a slender or elongated structure that supports a plant or fungus or a plant part or plant organ
2. noun

   any projection that is thought to resemble a human arm
   “a branch of the sewer”

   synonyms: arm, limb

   type of:

   projection

   any structure that branches out from a central support
3. noun

   a part of a forked or branching shape
   “he broke off one of the branches”

   synonyms: leg, ramification

   types:

   bifurcation

   a bifurcating branch (one or both of them)

   brachium

   (biology) a branching or armlike part of an animal

   crotch, fork

   the region of the angle formed by the junction of two branches

   type of:

   subfigure

   a figure that is a part of another figure
4. noun

   a stream or river connected to a larger one
   types:

   billabong

   a branch of a river made by water flowing from the main stream only when the water level is high

   distributary

   a branch of a river that flows away from the main stream and does not rejoin it

   affluent, confluent, feeder, tributary

   a branch that flows into the main stream

   type of:

   stream, watercourse

   a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
5. noun

   a division of some larger or more complex organization
   “a branch of Congress”

   “botany is a branch of biology”

   “the Germanic branch of Indo-European languages”

   synonyms: arm, subdivision

   types:

   local post office, post office

   a local branch where postal services are available"

   Executive Office of the President, executive branch

   the branch of the United States government that is responsible for carrying out the laws

   legislative branch

   the branch of the United States government that has the power of legislating

   judicial branch

   the branch of the United States government responsible for the administration of justice

   type of:

   division

   an administrative unit in government or business
6. verb

   grow and send out branches or branch-like structures
   synonyms: ramify

   fork, furcate, ramify, separate

   divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork

   type of:

   grow

   become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain
7. verb

   divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork
   synonyms: fork, furcate, ramify, separate

   ramify

   grow and send out branches or branch-like structures

   types:

   arborise, arborize

   branch out like trees

   twig

   branch out in a twiglike manner

   bifurcate

   divide into two branches

   trifurcate

   divide into three

   type of:

   diverge

   move or draw apart
8. noun

   a natural consequence of development
   synonyms: offset, offshoot, outgrowth

   type of:

   consequence, effect, event, issue, outcome, result, upshot

   a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon