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

His lifelong love of rugby took him to London to play for the Harlequins, and his Los Angeles team was known as the Flying Pumpkins. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026

Alice Oseman, Heartstopper (graphix/Scholastic) Charlie, a shy, openly gay teenage boy, meets Nick, a popular rugby player. —Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026

The full donation from Layne, a former men’s rugby player and women’s rugby coach, is one of the largest in recent history. —Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 13 Jan. 2026

She is next expected to appear publicly on January 15, when the Princess of Wales is set to host a reception at Windsor Castle for England’s women’s rugby team following their World Cup win last year, per The Daily Express. —Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 12 Jan. 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