Byword Definition

bīwʉrd
bywords
noun
bywords
A familiar saying; proverb.
Webster's New World
A person or thing proverbial for some quality.
Webster's New World
A favorite or pet word or phrase.
Webster's New World
One that represents a type, class, or quality.
American Heritage
An object of scorn or ridicule.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Byword

Noun

Singular:
byword
Plural:
bywords

Origin of Byword

  • From Middle English byworde (“proverb”), from Old English bīword, bīwyrde (“proverb, household word", also "adverb”), from bī- (“by-”) + word (“word”); probably a translation of Latin proverbium. Compare also Old High German pīwurti (“proverb”), Old English bīspel (“proverb, example”), bīcwide (“byword, proverb, tale, fable”). More at byspel.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English byworde from Old English bīword translation of Latin prōverbium

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Byword Sentence Examples

  • Unfortunately, however, the confusion engendered by a defective organization has long been a byword among the people; there is no printed catalogue, quantities of books are buried in packingcases and unavailable, the collection of foreign books is very poor, hardly any new works being purchased, and the building itself is quite inadequate and far from safe; but the site of a new one has now been purchased and the plans are agreed upon, so that eventually the whole collection will be transferred to more suitable quarters.

  • His wife, Faustina, has almost become a byword for her lack of womanly virtue; but she seems to have kept her hold on his affections to the last.

  • The name became a byword for something cobbled together, botched together, tied together with string.

  • Gleneagles is a byword for unashamed luxury, unrivaled golf and leisure facilities and legendary hospitality.

  • Moreover, he irritated public opinion by raising to senatorial rank the director-general of the Banca Romana, Signor Tanlongo, whose irregular practices had become a byword.

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Byword Is Also Mentioned In

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Words Starting With

BBYBYW

Words Ending With

DRDORD

Unscrambles

byword

Words Starting With B and Ending With D

Starts With B & Ends With DStarts With BY & Ends With DStarts With B & Ends With RD

Word Length

6 Letter Words6 Letter Words Starting With B6 Letter Words Ending With D