By Meaning and Definition

By

By

Pronunciation

/baɪ/

Part of Speech

Prefix or Suffix

Definition

A prefix or suffix used to indicate proximity, origin, or possession, as in “back by” or “born by”.

Examples

  • The farm is located by the river.
  • He was born by C-section.

Synonyms

  • Near
  • Next
  • From

Antonyms

  • Far
  • Remote
  • Opposite

Etymology

The prefix “by” comes from Old English “bi” and Middle English “by”, meaning “near” or “next to”.

Usage Notes

Use “by” to indicate proximity, as in “the store is by the post office”. Use “from” to indicate origin, as in “the book is from my favorite author”.

Cultural References

“By” is referenced in the popular TV show “Friends” in the episode “The One Where No One’s Ready”.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

  • And so on and so forth, by the way
  • To by and large

Related Words or Phrases

  • Near
  • Nearby
  • Close

Collocations

  • By the way
  • By and large
  • By degrees

Frequency of Use

“By” is one of the most frequently used prepositions in the English language.

Common Misspellings

  • Bay
  • Bey

Related Words