byword

noun

by·​word ˈbī-ˌwərd 

1

: a proverbial saying : proverb

2

a

: one that personifies a type

b

: one that is noteworthy or notorious

3

: epithet

4

: a frequently used word or phrase

Synonyms of byword

• proverb
• word
• saying
• motto
• maxim

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

Over the 300 years of its existence, the Ghetto became a byword for the forcible segregation of Jewish communities. — Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026

Overarching failures should not be the byword of a DA’s office, and yet Norfolk County residents had to endure a litany of new allegations during and after the Read trial. — Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

The pact is a meeting of minds between an old school American network and one that has become a byword for TV’s streaming era. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 31 July 2026

Kane spent more than a decade plugging away, loyally, at his first club, Tottenham Hotspur, a perpetual Premier League bridesmaid (or worse) whose name has become a byword for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for byword

• absurd
• averred
• bluebird
• catbird
• catchword
• concurred
• conferred
• cowbird
• cowherd
• crossword
• deferred
• demurred

Kids Definition

byword

noun

by·​word -ˌwərd 

: proverb