by-form

[ bahy-fawrm ]

noun

, Linguistics.

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

by-form

noun

1. a subsidiary or variant form

Word History and Origins

Origin of by-form¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Anowed, or the doubtful by-form anowed 'adorned', is probably the true reading.

From Project Gutenberg