rugby

noun

rug·​by ˈrəg-bē 

often capitalized

: 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

High impact sports such as football or rugby can be a risk factor. —Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

Otherwise, the Broncos might have formed a rugby team and stayed abroad. —Troy Renck, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025

The facility features a range of cutting-edge amenities, with 20 long fields, 14 youth diamond fields, eight full-size diamonds, four football/rugby fields, two championship diamond fields and concessions. —Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2025

Shop my favorite on-sale Amazon fashion finds, from brown suede bags to rugby shirts, below—and don’t wait too long, since the deals dry up at midnight. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 8 Oct. 2025

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