rugby

noun

rug·​by ˈrəg-bē 

variants often Rugby

: a football game in which play is continuous without time-outs or substitutions, interference and forward passing are not permitted, and kicking, dribbling, lateral passing, and tackling are featured

Examples of rugby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But there is only one rugby team, made up of players from North and South and called Ireland. —Colm Tóibín, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026

Searches for dark chocolate Easter eggs have surged 247% year-over-year, alongside triple-digit growth for items like Guinness rugby ball eggs (up 355%) and Champagne truffles (up 33%), according to FoodNavigator. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026

Regardless of venue the Legion emerged as one of the strongest situations in American rugby. —Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026

Former rugby union player and brain injury activist Shane Christie has been posthumously diagnosed with CTE after taking his own life in August 2025. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Rugby School, Rugby, England

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

rugby

noun

rug·​by ˈrəg-bē 

often capitalized

: a football game between two teams in which play is continuous and the team that has the ball may run with it, kick it, or pass it sideways or backward but is not allowed to block or make forward passes

Etymology

named for Rugby School in England where the game was first played

Geographical Definition

Rugby

geographical name

Rug·​by ˈrəg-bē 

town on the Avon River in Warwickshire, central England population 71,000