noun
byword
Byword (noun) means a well-known saying or phrase that people repeat often.
noun
1
A well-known saying or phrase that people repeat often.
2
A word or phrase strongly linked with one particular person or group.
3
A person or thing so typical of a quality that it comes to stand for that quality.
4
Someone or something widely known for being bad, and often mocked because of it.
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Etymology
From Middle English byword, byworde (“proverb”), from Old English bīword, bīwyrd, bīwyrde (“proverb, household word", also "adverb”), from Proto-West Germanic *bīwurdī, equivalent to by- + word. Compare Latin proverbium, which byword may possibly be a translation of. Cognate with Old High German pīwurti (“proverb”). Compare also Old English bīspel (“proverb, example”), bīcwide (“byword, proverb, tale, fable”), Dutch bijwoord (“adverb”).
Synonyms
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Rhymes for byword
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What is the meaning of byword?
"byword" (noun) means a well-known saying or phrase that people repeat often.
What is another word for byword?
Other words for "byword" include proverb, saw, adage.
What are the different meanings of byword?
"byword" has 3 main meanings: 1. A well-known saying or phrase that people repeat often; 2. A word or phrase strongly linked with one particular person or group; 3. A person or thing so typical of a quality that it comes to stand for that quality.
