- 1a byword for something a person or thing that is a well-known example of a particular quality The name Chanel became a byword for elegance.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- 2a word or phrase that is well known or often used Andy Warhol's provocative slogan, “Everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes,” became a sixties byword.
Check pronunciation: byword