by right

English · Thesaurus

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

by right

/ˌbaɪ̯ ˈɹaɪ̯t/ Canada, US, New Zealand
/ˌbʌɪ̯ ˈɹʌɪ̯t/ Canada
/ˌbʌi̯ ˈɹʌi̯t/ Scotland
/ˌbəi̯ ˈɹəi̯t/ Scotland
/ˌbɑe̯ ˈɹɑe̯t/ Australia
/ˌbaj ˈɾajʈ/ India

Where it comes from

From by + right (“that which complies with justice, law or reason; legal, just, or moral entitlement”).

phrase by rights

idiomatic According to what is right, or what one is legally or morally entitled to; justly, properly, rightfully. The post of vice-president should, by right, have been given to John.
Similar: fairly, in fairness, in justice
idiomatic, obsolete In reality; correctly, to tell the truth, truthfully. And ſome [fowl], becauſe the light doth them offend, / Neuer appeare, but in the darke, or night. / Other reioyce, to ſe the fire ſo bright / And wene to play in it, as they pretend: / Alas, of that ſort may I be, by right. / For to withſtand her loke I am not able: / Yet can I not hide me in no dar

Translations

Every language

prep_phrase according to what is right, or what one is legally or morally entitled to — see also rightfully

Español	en justicia
Français	de droit, en toute justice, légalement, légitimement
Deutsch	zu Recht, rechtens, verdientermaßen
Italiano	di diritto
Ελληνικά	δικαιωματικά dikaiomatiká
Русский	по пра́ву po právu

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"by right." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/by%20right. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

by right. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/by%20right

Chicago

"by right." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/by%20right.

BibTeX

@misc{by_right_2026,
  title = {by right},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/by%20right},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}