A branch is a structural member of a woody plant, such as a tree. The word branch also has many figurative senses, such as:

In computing:

• Branch (computer science), point in the instruction stream of a computer program where the address of the next instruction is not the next sequential storage location
• Branching (software), a separate line of development which allows development on a project to diverge in two directions
• Branch predictor, part of a processor that determines whether a conditional branch in the instruction flow of a program is likely to be taken or not
• Conditional branch, a conditional jump or departure from the implicit or declared order in which instructions are executed
• Indirect branch, type of program control instruction

In mathematics:

• Branch point, point at which a multiple-valued function changes values
• Branched covering, a type of morphism between algebraic varieties
• Branched surface, a type of topological space
• Branching quantifier, partial ordering of quantifiers
• Principal branch, a function which selects one branch of a multi-valued function

In religion:

• Branch (Mormonism), the name of a local congregation of Latter Day Saints
• Branch Davidian, a religious group originating from the Seventh-day Adventist Church

In politics:

• Branch stacking, the act of enrolling persons to a party by offering inducement or for the principal purpose of influencing candidate selection
• Cadet branch, family line of nobility not decending from the first born son
• Emmett Forrest Branch (1874-1932), governor of the U.S. state of Indiana
• Executive branch, the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law and running the day-to-day affairs of the government or state
• Frank Branch (born 1944), a Canadian politician
• John Branch, Jr. (1782–1863), U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy, governor of North Carolina, and territorial governor of Florida
• Judicial branch, the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state
• Lawrence O'Bryan Branch (1820-1862), a Confederate General and a Representative from North Carolina
• Legislative branch, type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws

In transportation:

• Branch (bridle), part of a bridle which support the mouth bit
• Branch line, a relatively minor railway line which branches off a more important through route

In sports:

• Branch McCracken (1908–1970), a college men's basketball coach
• Cliff Branch (born 1948), a retired American football player
• David Branch (born 1948), Commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League
• Michael Branch (born 1978), an English professional footballer

In television:

• Arthur Branch, a fictional character on the TV crime drama Law & Order
• Vanessa Branch (born 1973), British actress and model

In geography:

• Branch, Arkansas
• Branch County, Michigan
• Branch Township, Michigan
• Branch Township, Pennsylvania
• Drakes Branch, Virginia
• East Branch
• Fall Branch, Tennessee
• Farmers Branch, Texas
• Flowery Branch, Georgia
• Fort Branch, Indiana
• Hamilton Branch, California
• Long Branch
• North Branch
• Plum Branch, South Carolina
• South Branch
• Village of the Branch, New York
• Wells Branch, Texas
• West Branch

In other fields:

• Branch, a division of a discipline
• Branch, a connected subset of a tree structure or a path or line within it
• Branch post office, a type of postal facility that is not a main post office
• Branch pylon, a pylon in an overhead electrical transmission system used to start a line branch
• Branching (chemistry), the growth of a second chain of a polymer out of another one by specific means
• Branching (linguistics), general tendency towards a given order of words within sentences
• Christopher Branch (circa 1600-1682), early American colonist
• Earthly Branches, a Chinese system for reckoning time based upon the orbit of Jupiter
• Elizabeth Branch (1673–1740), an English murderer
• Michelle Branch (born 1983), an American singer, songwriter and guitarist
• Olive branch, a colloquial term referring to a concession or a gesture of peace
• USS Branch, a ship in the United States Navy