Branch Definition

brănch
branched, branches, branching
noun
branches
Any woody extension growing from the trunk or main stem, or from a main limb, of a tree or shrub.
Webster's New World
A lateral division or subdivision of certain other plant parts, such as a root or flower cluster.
American Heritage
Anything physically resembling a branch, as a tine of a deer's antler.
Webster's New World
A large tributary flowing into a river.
Webster's New World
One of the streams into which a river or large creek may divide, usually near the mouth.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
verb
branched, branches, branching
To put forth branches; spread in or divide into branches; ramify.
Webster's New World
To come out (from the trunk or stem) as a branch.
Webster's New World
To separate into branches.
Webster's New World
To enlarge the scope of one's interests, business, or activities.
Branch out from physics into related fields.
American Heritage

To continue at an instruction in another part of the program by means of a branch.

Webster's New World
idiom
branch off
  • to separate into branches; fork
  • to go off in another direction; diverge
Webster's New World
branch out
  • to put forth branches
  • to extend the scope of interests, activities, etc.
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Branch

Noun

Singular:
branch
Plural:
branches

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Branch

Origin of Branch

  • From Middle English branche, braunche, bronche, from Old French branche, brance, from Vulgar Latin branca (“footprint", later also "paw, claw”), of unknown origin, possibly from Gaulish *vranca. Indo-European cognates include Old Norse vró (“angle, corner”), Lithuanian rankà (“hand”), Old Church Slavonic рѫка (rǫka, “hand”), Albanian rangë (“yard work”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old French branche from Late Latin branca paw perhaps of Celtic origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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