by-product
noun
by-prod·uct
ˈbī-ˌprä-(ˌ)dəkt 
variants
or byproduct
plural by-products or byproducts
1
: something produced in a usually industrial or biological process in addition to the principal product
Sulfured molasses is a by-product of sugar refining.—
Wayne Gisslen
Wayne GisslenSmall amounts of amyloid beta are generated as an ordinary metabolic byproduct and are believed to do no harm, but larger amounts seem to be tied to Alzheimer's.—January W. Payne
January W. PayneMeat by-products are parts other than meat, including organs, blood and bone …—Amy D. Shojai
Amy D. ShojaiAmong the most commonly occurring and thoroughly studied chlorination byproducts are trihalomethanes …—Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports2
: a secondary and sometimes unexpected or unintended result
Japan's success as an international exporter of manufactured goods is a by-product of the volatile trade among Japanese cities.—Jane Jacobs
Jane JacobsAs investor confidence grows, overspending and overborrowing are typically byproducts of an aging bull market.—Carolyn Bigda
Carolyn BigdaOne of the by-products of the information age is an increasing number of data formats.—John Was
John WasExamples of by-product in a Sentence
hydrogen is one by-product of that chemical reaction
Recent Examples on the Web
The project’s fertilizer by-product will support farmers and transform barren land into fertile farmland, according to Prasad.
—Ian Sayson, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The decrease is primarily attributed to lower selling prices for ethanol and by-products, despite a decrease in corn and natural gas prices.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, despite working with a similar financial budget, Iraola’s side have only given up three goals as a by-product of errors, behind second-place Arsenal and third-place Nottingham Forest.
—Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
When your kidneys are working well, they get rid of everyday by-products from your normal metabolism by creating urine.
—Eleanor Rivera, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by-product
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Ian Sayson, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The decrease is primarily attributed to lower selling prices for ethanol and by-products, despite a decrease in corn and natural gas prices.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, despite working with a similar financial budget, Iraola’s side have only given up three goals as a by-product of errors, behind second-place Arsenal and third-place Nottingham Forest.
—Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
When your kidneys are working well, they get rid of everyday by-products from your normal metabolism by creating urine.
—Eleanor Rivera, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by-product
Cite this Entry
“By-product.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by-product. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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