derby

noun der·by \ ˈdər-bē , especially British ˈdä- \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Examples: derby in a Sentence

Definition of derby

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

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.
—Manchester Evening News

4 : a man's stiff felt hat with dome-shaped crown and narrow brim

See derby defined for English-language learners

See derby defined for kids

Examples of derby in a Sentence

a derby between Manchester United and Manchester City

Recent Examples of derby from the Web

Privacy - Terms Wearing his cap on backwards on a 95-degree day, Collins ripped 10 home runs in 20 swings over a makeshift fence about 200 feet from the plate during the pre-game home-run derby competition.

— gary bedore, kansascity, "Power-hitter Sherron Collins slugs prodigious homers at Mason softball event," 16 June 2018
The Iberian derby ended 3-3 in what could well become the game of the World Cup, but a costly error from De Gea resulted in Spain failing to win.

— SI.com, "David de Gea Calls for More Support From Spanish Public Following Portgual Howler," 16 June 2018
From hula hoops to soap box derby, our photographers captured the mood of Indianapolis in the '50s.

— dawn mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "RetroIndy: Little America and Wonderland kiddie park," 15 June 2018
Register and donate $10 for pinewood derby kit to participate.

— luann gibbs, Cincinnati.com, "Fun and free events in Cincinnati this weekend," 14 June 2018
The Service Department hosts an annual derby race, with an opportunity for all employees to build and personalize a car.

— azcentral, "Top Companies to Work for in Arizona 2018-Large Companies," 7 June 2018
An eight-person home run derby will start 60 minutes after the final out of the Padres’ game, with the all-stars playing immediately after.

— john maffei, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Prep baseball all-star game to follow pros at Petco Park," 4 June 2018
One of dozens of lionfish rodeos or derbies or hunts around the state, events like this are the first line of defense against the lionfish takeover.

— ben lowy, Smithsonian, "The Lionfish Have Invaded, But a Ragtag Army of Divers and Chefs Are Fighting Back," 23 May 2018
The dapper ensemble was accessorized with a gold pocket watch and brown leather derby shoes.

— steff yotka, Vogue, "Why Debut a Collection on the Runway When You Could Do It at the Royal Wedding?," 19 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'derby.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of derby

Origin and Etymology of derby

Edward Stanley †1834, 12th earl of Derby

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1796

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Derby

geographical name Der·by \ ˈdär-bē , chiefly U.S. ˈdər- \

Definition of Derby

city on the Derwent River in Derbyshire, north central England population 252,000

DERBY Defined for English Language Learners

derby

noun

Definition of derby for English Language Learners

: a type of horse race that takes place every year
: a race or contest
: a game between local sports teams

DERBY Defined for Kids

derby

noun der·by \ ˈdər-bē \

Definition of derby for Students

plural derbies

1 : a race for three-year-old horses usually held every year

2 : a race or contest open to anyone

a fishing derby

3 : a stiff felt hat with a narrow brim and a rounded top

History for derby

The first horse race called a Derby was named after an English nobleman named Edward Stanley, the Earl of Derby (1752-1834). The Earl of Derby instituted the race in 1780, and it continues to be run to the present day in England on the first Wednesday in June. The name Derby has become attached to other horse races, such as the Kentucky Derby in the United States, as well as to races and contests that have nothing to do with horses.