By Definition
bī
preposition
Near in space; beside; at.
Stand by the wall.
Webster's New World
Close to; next to.
The window by the door.
American Heritage
With the use or help of; through.
We came by the back road.
American Heritage
In or during the time of.
Travel by night.
Webster's New World
Past; beyond.
To march by the reviewing stand.
Webster's New World
adverb
Close at hand; near.
Stand by.
Webster's New World
Away; aside.
We have put money by.
Webster's New World
Up to, alongside, and past.
The car raced by.
American Heritage
Close in passing; past.
The car sped by.
Webster's New World
At or to one's home or current location.
Stop by later today.
American Heritage
abbreviation
Budget year.
American Heritage
prefix
By.
Bygone.
American Heritage
Secondary, incidental.
Byway.
American Heritage
affix
Close by; near.
Bystander.
Webster's New World
Side.
Bystreet.
Webster's New World
On the side; secondary; incidental to the main.
Byproduct.
Webster's New World
noun
(card games) A pass.
Wiktionary
interjection
Alternative spelling of bye.
Wiktionary
symbol
suffix
Habitation when used as a suffix to many placenames.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of By
Noun
Singular:
by
Plural:
bysIdioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to By
Origin of By
-
Middle English from Old English bī, be ambhi in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old English bī (“being near”).
From Wiktionary
From a Norse language
From Wiktionary
