by-product
/'bai,prɔdəkt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
The factory's filtration system captures a useful by-product from the main process.
Definition
- Noun:
- A product made during the manufacture of something else: A secondary or incidental result of a primary industrial or manufacturing process.
- A secondary and sometimes unexpected consequence: An additional, often unplanned, outcome or effect of an action or situation.
Usage
- The word "by-product" is a countable noun. It is typically used to describe something produced alongside a main product or as an indirect result of a process.
- It is often used in industrial, economic, and general contexts to discuss secondary outputs or results.
Examples
- Industrial/Manufacturing Context:
- Molasses is a by-product of sugar refining.
- The company found a profitable use for the chemical by-products of its main production line.
- Consequence/Outcome Context:
- Increased traffic congestion is an unfortunate by-product of the city's economic growth.
- A greater sense of community was a happy by-product of the neighborhood project.
Advanced Usage
- "An inevitable by-product of": Used to describe a consequence that is unavoidable given certain conditions.
- Some environmental damage is an inevitable by-product of rapid industrialization.
- "Treat something as a by-product": To consider or manage something as a secondary result.
- The heat generated is not wasted; it is treated as a useful by-product.
Variants and Related Words
- Byproduct: An alternative, often single-word, spelling of "by-product".
- Spin-off (n): A product or benefit that arises incidentally from the development of a primary product, especially in technology or media.
- The new software was a spin-off from the aerospace research.
- Derivative (n): Something that is based on or comes from another source. While related, "derivative" often implies a direct development, whereas "by-product" implies a coincidental or secondary result.
- Waste product (n): A substance with no value produced during a process. Not all by-products are waste; some have value.
Synonyms
- Secondary product
- Incidental result
- Concomitant
- Offshoot
Antonyms
- Primary product
- Main output
- Intended result
Related Phrases
- Collateral effect: A similar term used, especially in formal contexts, for an unintended secondary consequence.
- The policy had several positive collateral effects on public health.
The factory's filtration system captures a useful by-product from the main process.
Noun
- a product made during the manufacture of something else
- a secondary and sometimes unexpected consequence