derby

noun

der·​by ˈdər-bē How to pronounce derby (audio)
 especially British  ˈdä-
plural derbies
1
: any of several horse races held annually and usually restricted to three-year-olds
2
: a race or contest open to all comers or to a specified category of contestants
a bicycle derby
3
British : a game between local sports teams
… even when both clubs were going through trophy droughts, the derby was still treated like a European Cup final by the fans.The Manchester (England) Evening News
4
: a stiff felt hat with dome-shaped crown and narrow brim

Illustration of derby

Illustration of derby
  • derby 4

Examples of derby in a Sentence

a derby between Manchester United and Manchester City
Recent Examples on the Web The annual Academy Awards derby has been a long been a subject of interest for Las Vegas oddsmakers. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 With Madrid similarly carrying out its preseason preparations in the U.S., an instalment of the world's biggest football derby El Clasico is guaranteed to be the highlight of the two eternal enemies' tours and provide a considerable payday for all concerned. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Unable to find meaning as individuals, people instead seek it out in media spectacles like Rollerball, a kind of motorcycle roller derby meets football meets basketball. Matthew Jordan, The Conversation, 1 Feb. 2024 With its victory in the Basque Country derby, Athletic edged ahead of both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Joseph Wilson, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2024 Finishing strong Sunday’s 2-0 victory over rivals Köln in a Rhein derby match was the latest in a long line of impressive performances from Leverkusen as the club extended its lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to 10 points following Bayern’s draw on Friday. Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 There’s mild adventure and fear during the soapbox derby race. Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 Franklin and Charlie Brown have a fight when their derby car falls apart. Amy Amatangelo, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Roma was also eliminated by Lazio in an Italian Cup derby last week. Andrew Dampf, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'derby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Edward Stanley †1834, 12th earl of Derby

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of derby was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near derby

Cite this Entry

“Derby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derby. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

derby

noun
der·​by ˈdər-bē How to pronounce derby (audio)
 especially British  ˈdär-
plural derbies
1
: a horse race usually for three-year-olds held annually
2
: a race or contest open to all comers
a fishing derby
3
: a stiff felt hat with dome-shaped top and narrow brim
Etymology

named for Edward Stanley, 12th earl of Derby (a county and town in England)

Word Origin
The first horse race called a Derby was named after an English nobleman named Edward Stanley, the Earl of Derby (1752–1834). The Earl instituted the race in 1780, and it continues to be run to the present day on the first Wednesday in June at Epsom Downs, a racetrack south of London. The name Derby has become attached to other races usually restricted to three-year-old horses, such as the Kentucky Derby. It is used as well of races that have nothing to do with horses, such as the Pinewood Derby run by the Cub Scouts. In the 1800s derby was also the name given in the U.S. to a dome-shaped hat called a bowler in England. The reason why the hat was given this name is uncertain, and nothing seems to link it with horse races.

Geographical Definition

Derby

geographical name

Der·​by ˈdär-bē How to pronounce Derby (audio)
 chiefly U.S.  ˈdər-
city on the Derwent River in Derbyshire, north central England population 252,000

More from Merriam-Webster on derby

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