1. a consequence of an action or event, especially when complex or unwelcome: "any change is bound to have legal ramifications"
▪ a subdivision of a complex structure or process perceived as comparable to a tree's branches: "an extended family with its ramifications of neighboring in-laws"
▪ the action or state of ramifying or being ramified:"a coronary angiogram showed ramification of the right coronary artery close to the ostium"
Word Originlate 16th century: from Latin ramificatio(n-), or from French, from ramifier ‘form branches’ (see ramify).