Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

lay-by

/ˈleɪ.baɪ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.64 in modern English

Syllables: lay--by
IPA: /ˈleɪ.baɪ/

13

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

3

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A paved area at the side of a highway designated for drivers to stop in, for emergency parking, or where vehicles can wait, with larger lay-bys possibly having facilities such as food vendors or public telephones.

British usage; Countable; Uncountable

noun

A railroad siding; a second, short railroad track just to the side of a railroad track, connected with the main track by a switch and used for unloading, bypassing, etc.

British usage; Countable; Uncountable

noun

A widened section of a narrow river or canal, formed to one side so as to leave the channel free, for mooring of vessels, where vessels can lay over or allow others to pass.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A method of retail purchase in which the selected goods are set aside and the customer pays for them in instalments, receiving them when fully paid; layaway.

Australian usage; New Zealand usage; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"1930 October 16, Hordern Brothers (Sydney retailer), advertisement, quoted in 1966, Sidney J. Baker, The Australian Language, second edition, chapter X, section 2, page 206, Avail yourself of our Lay-By Service"

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ˈleɪ.baɪ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

lay-bys (plural) lay by (alternative) lay bye (alternative) lay-bye (alternative)

Synonyms

turnout rest stop truck stop siding sidetrack layaway pull-off rest area layby

Questions

How do you pronounce lay-by?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈleɪ.baɪ/.
What does lay-by mean?: A paved area at the side of a highway designated for drivers to stop in, for emergency parking, or where vehicles can wait, with larger lay-bys possibly having facilities such as food vendors or public telephones.

How to pronounce lay-by

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “lay-by”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈleɪ.baɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “lay-by”.
Repeat and practice — Say “lay-by” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.