by-product

noun

by-prod·​uct ˈbī-ˌprä-(ˌ)dəkt 

variants or byproduct

plural by-products or byproducts

1

: something produced in a usually industrial or biological process in addition to the principal product

Sulfured molasses is a by-product of sugar refining.

—Wayne Gisslen

Small amounts of amyloid beta are generated as an ordinary metabolic byproduct and are believed to do no harm, but larger amounts seem to be tied to Alzheimer's.

—January W. Payne

Meat by-products are parts other than meat, including organs, blood and bone …

—Amy D. Shojai

Among the most commonly occurring and thoroughly studied chlorination byproducts are trihalomethanes …

—Consumer Reports

2

: a secondary and sometimes unexpected or unintended result

Japan's success as an international exporter of manufactured goods is a by-product of the volatile trade among Japanese cities.

—Jane Jacobs

As investor confidence grows, overspending and overborrowing are typically byproducts of an aging bull market.

—Carolyn Bigda

One of the by-products of the information age is an increasing number of data formats.

—John Was

Synonyms

• derivate
• derivation
• derivative
• offshoot
• outgrowth
• spin-off

Examples of by-product in a Sentence

hydrogen is one by-product of that chemical reaction

Recent Examples on the Web

Coir, a fibrous material made from by-products of coconut husks; it is often used as a substitute for peat. Vermiculite, a fine, puffed, gold flecks mica, which helps with drainage. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2025

This creates by-products such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane. —Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 4 Jan. 2025

This is tough news for prospective buyers, but a welcome by-product of a healthy state economy. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025

Rice seedling blight is a disease caused by the toxic by-product of a wild, endosymbiotic affair. —Quanta Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

by-product

noun

by-prod·​uct

ˈbī-ˌpräd-(ˌ)əkt

: a product or result produced in addition to the main product or result