btw
Btw (abbreviation) means By the way; used to introduce a small extra remark that is not the main point of the message. Example: “btw, the meeting moved to eleven”
How to Use Btw
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short way of writing by the way.
Fine in messages and casual email; write it out in full in anything formal.
Usually lower case, and normally placed at the start of the extra remark or tacked on at the end.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____, the meeting moved to eleven
Etymology
An initialism of by the way.
Synonyms
View more →Related Words
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between btw and fyi?
Btw means by the way and adds a passing side remark to something you were already discussing. Fyi means for your information and flags something the reader needs to know, often forwarded on its own. Fyi points at the information; btw softens an aside.
Is it rude to use btw at work?
In internal chat and quick email it is normal and reads as friendly. In external, formal or first-contact messages, write by the way in full, since abbreviations can look careless to someone who does not know you.
Featured In
Vocabulary lists that include btw: