byword

noun

by·​word ˈbī-ˌwərd How to pronounce byword (audio)
1
: a proverbial saying : proverb
2
a
: one that personifies a type
b
: one that is noteworthy or notorious
3
4
: a frequently used word or phrase

Examples of byword in a Sentence

Mom's favorite byword is “You can get more flies with honey than with vinegar”. nationally, Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive has become a byword for luxury retailing
Recent Examples on the Web
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But that agreement, once synonymous with success, is now a byword for disappointment. Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 19 Nov. 2024 Still, continuity was the byword during each of these transitions, especially early on. Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Venezuela has become both a byword for failure and, curiously, something of an ideological hot potato, a rhetorical device dropped into political conversations around the world. Moisés Naím, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2020 By the time of the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, pearls in general were a byword for elegance and modernity. Lily Templeton, WWD, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for byword 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of byword was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near byword

Cite this Entry

“Byword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/byword. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

byword

noun
by·​word -ˌwərd How to pronounce byword (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on byword

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