byline
UK[ˈbaɪlaɪn]US[ˈbaɪlaɪn]
n
A line at the beginning or end of a newspaper or magazine article giving the writer's name.
Morpheme Breakdown
by
line
by
near, at, during
line
string, thread, rule
Etymology
The word 'byline' is a modern journalistic compound, formed in the early 20th century from the common English preposition 'by' and the noun 'line'. The preposition 'by', with its core sense of agency or proximity, is used here to denote attribution, specifying who the article is 'by'. The noun 'line', descended from Latin 'linea' (a linen thread, a measured mark), evolved to mean a row of type in printing. Thus, the literal "line that states 'by [author]'" succinctly captures its function as the credited author's identifier in a publication.
Analysis
Structure: by + line
by: Old English origin, meaning "near, at, during". In this compound, it functions as a prepositional element indicating association or attribution.
line: Latin (via Old French) origin, from 'linea' meaning "string, thread, rule". In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning a row of written or printed words.
Examples
The veteran reporter finally earned her first front-page byline.
The editor insisted on removing the byline to protect the journalist's safety.
A quick glance at the byline told me it was written by my favorite columnist.