A ramification is a result or consequence of an action, especially one that is complex or unexpected. It can also refer to a part that branches out from a main body or idea.
It comes from French “ramification,” from “ramifier,” meaning “to form branches,” based on Latin “ramus,” meaning “branch.” The figurative sense of complicated consequences developed from the image of spreading branches.
When people warn about the “ramifications” of a decision, they’re picturing consequences branching out like a tree. One choice can split into many smaller effects, some far away from the original trunk of the problem.
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