Plural of bylaw; rules or regulations made by a company, organization, or local authority that are not part of the main laws of a country.
From Middle English 'bi-lawe,' combining 'bi' (meaning 'in addition to' or 'beside') and 'lawe' (law). The term originally referred to local or secondary laws made by towns or guilds, distinct from national laws.
The 'bye' in bylaw doesn't mean goodbye—it means 'beside' or 'secondary,' revealing how medieval towns created their own mini-legal systems alongside royal law. Many of the rules we follow in HOAs and sports clubs today are technically 'byelaws' from this ancient concept.
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