by the bye

Idioms and Phrases

Also, by the by . Incidentally, in passing, as in By the bye, my wife is coming too , or Exactly where do you live, by the by ? The bye or second by in this term originally meant “a side path,” whence the current sense of “off the track” or “of secondary importance.” [Early 1500s] Also see by the way .

Related Words

• casually
• remotely