by-form

American  

[bahy-fawrm] / ˈbaɪˌfɔrm /

noun

Linguistics.

1. a closely related and sometimes less frequent form, as spelt for spelled; variant.

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by-form British  

noun

1. a subsidiary or variant form

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Etymology

Origin of by-form

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

The Oxford dictionary says the word is a "by-form of the surname Jarvis," but I am not learned enough to see the connection, unless it was Mr. Jarvis who drove the first side-car.

From The Charm of Ireland by Stevenson, Burton Egbert

The by-form Clodius, in its origin a mere orthographical variant, was regularly used for certain Claudii in late republican times, but otherwise the two forms were used indifferently.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 4 "Cincinnatus" to "Cleruchy" by Various

The by-form Hr�arr, which is used of the famous Danish king, is due to a number of rather irregular changes, which can however be paralleled.

From Beowulf An Introduction to the Study of the Poem with a Discussion of the Stories of Offa and Finn by Chambers, R. W.