ramify

verb

ram·i·fy ˈra-mə-ˌfī

ramified; ramifying

Synonyms of ramify

intransitive verb

: to split up into branches or constituent parts

: to send forth branches or extensions

transitive verb

: to cause to branch

: to separate into divisions

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How Ramify Branched Off Latin

Ramify has been part of English since the 15th century and is an offshoot of the Latin word for "branch," which is ramus. English acquired several scientific words from ramus, including biramous ("having two branches"). Another English word derived from ramus is the now obsolete ramage, meaning "untamed" or "wild." Ramage originated in falconry—it was initially used of young hawks that had begun to fly from branch to branch in trees. The most common ramus word, though, is a direct descendant of ramify. Ramification in its oldest sense means "branch, offshoot," but is most commonly used to mean "consequence, outgrowth." Ramify started out as a scientific word, at first referring to branching parts of plants and trees and later to veins and nerves, but it soon branched out into non-scientific and even figurative uses, as in "ideas that ramify throughout society."

Examples of ramify in a Sentence

the rise of cable television ramified the audience, creating ever smaller segments for an ever growing array of programming choices

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Derivatives also had the habit of magnifying volatility as the risk ramified from the underlying asset— interest rates, commodities, bonds—into the derivatives like a fuse setting off a bomb. —Scott Patterson, Fortune, 13 June 2023 The theme ramified in a couple of directions, including Alabama’s death row. —al, 21 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ramifien, from Anglo-French ramifier, from Medieval Latin ramificare, from Latin ramus branch; akin to Latin radix root — more at root

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of ramify was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century