Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

byway

American  
[bahy-wey] / ˈbaɪˌweɪ /

noun

  1. a secluded, private, or obscure road.

  2. a subsidiary or obscure field of research, endeavor, etc.


byway British  
/ ˈbaɪˌweɪ /

noun

  1. a secondary or side road, esp in the country

  2. an area, field of study, etc, that is very obscure or of secondary importance

"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

Etymology

Origin of byway

1300–50; Middle English bywey. See by (adj.), way 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In her waking hours — treading a muddy village byway, casting an eye across a desolate field — hope pulses in her like a beating heart: that she might somehow find him.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2024

The most direct route to the byway from Seattle is a 323-mile, six-hour drive on interstates 90, 82 and 84.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 19, 2023

The incident happened at about 20:40 BST on the byway heading to Whaddon Lane near the rugby club.

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2023

The Skyway, a central north-south byway was closed, and lights were off inside the ornate City Hall building and local courthouses.

From New York Times • Nov. 18, 2022

The road that led from Norwich to Hanover was once a leafy, gently sinuous two-lane affair—the sort of tranquil, alluring byway you would hope to find connecting two old New England towns a mile apart.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson