bylaw

Alternative forms

• byrlaw (obsolete)
• by-law
• bye-law, byelaw

Etymology

From Old Norse by (“town; settlement”) + lag (“[something] laid down; law; fellowship”), apparently a variant of Middle English byrlaw, from Old Norse býjar (“town's; settlement's”) + lǫg (“laws; jurisdiction”). Byrlaw is attested earlier in English but is unattested in Old Norse and the cognates in Scandinavian languages follow the development of bylaw: Danish bylov (“municipal law”), Swedish bylag and byalag.^[1]

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbaɪ.lɔː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbaɪ.lɔ/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈbaɪ.lɑ/

Noun

bylaw (plural bylaws)

1. A local custom or law of a settlement or district.
2. A rule made by a local authority to regulate its own affairs.
3. A law or rule governing the internal affairs of an organization (e.g., corporation or business).

References