by-election

or bye-e·lec·tion

[ bahy-i-lek-shuh n ]

/ ˈbaɪ ɪˌlɛk ʃən /

noun

a special election, not held at the time of a general election, to fill a vacancy in Parliament.

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Origin of by-election

First recorded in 1875–80; by- + election

Words nearby by-election

by-, by-and-by, by-bidder, by-blow, by-catch, by-election, by-form, by-line, by-name, by-numbers, by-path

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for by-election

Suu Kyi herself fought a by-election last April; she and dozens of her party colleagues were elected in remarkably fair elections.
Burma’s Spring Turns Deadly as Riots Shake the Town of Meiktila|Peter Popham|March 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The UK Conservatives finished a humiliating third in a by-election yesterday.
A Bad Night for British Conservatives|David Frum|March 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
George Galloway has returned to Parliament, winning a by-election in Bradford, Yorkshire.
Galloway and Bradford Deserve Each Other|David Frum|March 30, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The Labour candidate had barely made his début before the by-election was announced.
From Workhouse to Westminster|George Haw

This was in a by-election held at Cockermouth in August, 1906.
My Own Story|Emmeline Pankhurst
Those of you who can express your militancy by joining us in our anti-Government by-election policy—do so.
My Own Story|Emmeline Pankhurst
By-election after by-election had gone against Mr. Gladstones Government.
Lord Randolph Churchill|Winston Spencer Churchill
To my great relief the Wymington committee have adopted Dale as their candidate at the by-election.
Simon the Jester|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for by-election

by-election

bye-election

noun

(in the United Kingdom and other countries of the Commonwealth) an election held during the life of a parliament to fill a vacant seat in the lower chamber

(in the US) a special election to fill a vacant elective position with an unexpired term

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012