byway

noun

by·​way ˈbī-ˌwā 

1

: a little traveled side road

2

: a secondary or little known aspect or field

meandering more and more in the fascinating byways of learning

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Examples of byway in a Sentence

I prefer to take byways to town.

He's traveled the highways and byways of this country.

the byways of the art world

The book chronicles some of the interesting byways of legal history.

Recent Examples on the Web

Waitsfield After passing through Hancock, Route 100 technically ends, but keep going for a few more miles on the Mad River Byway, which is also a part of the scenic byway. —Megan Margulies, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025

Circle of Destination Motel, Escalante, Utah Escalante’s classic Circle D Motel, newly rechristened Circle of Destination, takes advantage of its location on Utah’s spectacular Highway 12 scenic byway to create an inviting home base for rugged adventure. —Melanie Haiken, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025

Crowds are minimal, accommodation low-key and reasonably priced, and crisp mornings turn hiking trails and scenic byways into a near-secret. —AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025

The byway not only has scenic views but a rich history. —Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for byway

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

byway

noun

by·​way ˈbī-ˌwā 

: a little-traveled side road