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

On so many levels, Rodney Parade, home to both Newport County and the city’s Dragons rugby union club, shouldn’t work as a modern sports venue. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026

Casual tees, in general, have dominated the summer 2026 trend cycle, between retro striped ringer tees and rugby polos to raglan shirts and sports jerseys. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 12 Aug. 2026

And that, according to former pro rugby player Olly Barkley, was exactly the point. — Lela London, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Similar to the one worn by Julia Roberts, this oversized rugby shirt is the definition of cozy-chic. — Jacquelyn McGilvray, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 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