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

Her predictions now span playoff games across basketball, football, soccer, rugby and lacrosse — sometimes even fulfilling fan requests sent through DMs. —Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026

The Overlap content spans sports including football, rugby and cricket and is home to fan debates, exclusive interviews and the Stick to Football series. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2026

Add rainy days to the mix, and our mudroom hall can look like a rugby team is using it as a thoroughfare instead of our family of four. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025

Every device in a mesh network can relay messages to every other device, like rugby players passing a ball. —IEEE Spectrum, 25 Dec. 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