English Explanatory Dictionary

by the way

English dictionary entry

Meanings

prep_phrase
  1. Incidentally; used in referencing a parenthetical statement not timely, central, or crucial to the topic at hand; foregone, passed by, something that has already happened.
adv
  1. Irrelevantly, off-topic.

Pronunciation

en-au-by the way.ogg

Word forms

by the way BTW

Etymology

First appeared in the 10th century with literal meaning "by the side of the road", from Old English weġ (which became "way") meaning "road". Soon afterward (circa 1000) it came to mean "during one's journey". The figurative meaning developed in the mid-16th century, with the first instance of the modern meaning being from 1614.

Synonyms

apropos BTW by the by incidentally
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