Illustration of derrick
- derrick 2
1
: a hoisting apparatus employing a tackle rigged at the end of a beam
2
: a framework or tower over a deep drill hole (as of an oil well) for supporting boring tackle or for hoisting and lowering
Did you know?
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, London was the home of a notorious executioner named Derick. Among those he beheaded was the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, who supposedly had once saved the life of the ungrateful executioner. While members of the nobility were accorded the courtesy of beheading, it was the lot of commoners to be hanged, and those sent to face the rope at the hands of the executioner Derick nicknamed the gallows after him. Today, derrick is commonly used for a framework, but one that supports equipment used in drilling for oil.
Examples of derrick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that fewer than 1 percent of fossil fuel workers have transitioned to green jobs, citing a lack of translatable skills — operating an oil derrick isn’t as applicable to installing solar panels, for example.
—
Umair Irfan, Vox, 21 Apr. 2025
The drug dealers who stole the oil company’s plane — and who lost a lot of money in the accident in the series premiere — show up to a derrick and try to shake down Tommy.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Dec. 2024
Pictures from the boom days show derricks sprouting up like trees throughout the town.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Oct. 2024
Not long afterward, a derrick anchored offshore and began clawing apart the bluff, clouding Lake Michigan as neighbors, standing on tiptoes, held their phones above the privacy netting and gaped.
—Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2024
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Umair Irfan, Vox, 21 Apr. 2025
The drug dealers who stole the oil company’s plane — and who lost a lot of money in the accident in the series premiere — show up to a derrick and try to shake down Tommy.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Dec. 2024
Pictures from the boom days show derricks sprouting up like trees throughout the town.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Oct. 2024
Not long afterward, a derrick anchored offshore and began clawing apart the bluff, clouding Lake Michigan as neighbors, standing on tiptoes, held their phones above the privacy netting and gaped.
—Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for derrick
Cite this Entry
“Derrick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derrick. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
derrick
noun
der·rick
ˈder-ik 
1
: any of various machines for moving or hoisting heavy weights by means of a long beam fitted with pulleys and cables
2
: a framework or tower over a deep drill hole (as of an oil well) for supporting machinery
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