English

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology 1

edit

From Middle English by (town), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse býr (dwelling, town), from Proto-Germanic *būwiz (dwelling). Cognate with Danish by (town). More at bower.

Prefix

edit

by-

  1. (now mostly non-productive) Town or city.
    bylaw

Etymology 2

edit

Partly from a combining form of by (by, near, around), and partly continuing Middle English bi-, by-, from Old English bī- (by, near, around), from Proto-Germanic *bi- (by-). Cognate with Dutch bij-, German bei-.

Prefix

edit

by-

  1. Nearness or roundaboutness.
    bystander, bypass
  2. Secondary, incidental, or parallel to.
    by-product, byform, by-path
Derived terms
edit
Translations
edit

Anagrams

edit

Middle English

edit

Etymology 1

edit

Inherited from Old English bī-, from (Middle English by); compare bi-.

Alternative forms

edit

Pronunciation

edit

Prefix

edit

by-

  1. A prefix forming nouns, often denoting adjacency, position, or relation.; near, around
Derived terms
edit
Descendants
edit
  • English: by-, be-
  • Scots: by-, be-
References
edit

Etymology 2

edit

Prefix

edit

by-

  1. Alternative form of bi-