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 WasSynonyms
Examples of by-product in a Sentence
hydrogen is one by-product of that chemical reaction
Recent Examples on the Web
Directly measuring how well these glomeruli are functioning is possible but cumbersome, so instead doctors rely on blood levels of a protein called creatinine, a waste product produced by muscles and a by-product of protein metabolism, to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
—Cassandra Willyard, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
This build-up provides an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms, such as the aforementioned Malassezia yeast, which doesn’t only promote dandruff, but also by-products that can irritate the scalp and cause itching.
—Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024
Shame is then a natural part of individuation as well as a by-product of our cultural backgrounds and upbringings.
—Melissa Petro, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024
Plus, their milk thistle seed extract is sustainable, created with upcycled by-product of milk thistle oil production.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for by-product 
Cassandra Willyard, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
This build-up provides an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms, such as the aforementioned Malassezia yeast, which doesn’t only promote dandruff, but also by-products that can irritate the scalp and cause itching.
—Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024
Shame is then a natural part of individuation as well as a by-product of our cultural backgrounds and upbringings.
—Melissa Petro, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024
Plus, their milk thistle seed extract is sustainable, created with upcycled by-product of milk thistle oil production.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for by-product
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'by-product.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near by-product
Cite this Entry
“By-product.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by-product. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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