branch
n. countablen. a part of a tree that grows out from the main trunk. You can also use this word for a local office of a large company or a division of a subject.
n. a secondary woody stem growing from the trunk or main limb of a tree; by extension, a local office or subdivision of a larger organisation.
The bird sat on a high branch of the oak tree.
I need to visit the local branch of my bank to sign some official documents.
While the main office handles international strategy, each regional branch retains the autonomy to adapt marketing campaigns to local cultural expectations and consumer habits.
From Middle English branche, braunche, bronche, from Old French branche, branke, from Late Latin branca (“footprint”, later also “paw, claw”) (whence Middle High German pranke, German Pranke (“paw”)), of unknown origin. Perhaps of Celtic origin, from a hypothetical Gaulish vranca, from Proto-Indo-European wrónk-eh₂. If so, then Indo-European cognates include Old Norse rá, vró (“angle, corner”), and possibly Lithuanian rankà (“hand”), Old Church Slavonic рѫка (rǫka, “hand”), Albanian rangë (“yardwork”). The verb is from Middle English braunchen, from the noun.
Often used with 'of' to indicate the parent organisation or tree.