derby

noun

der·​by ˈdər-bē How to pronounce derby (audio)
 especially British  ˈdä-
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
a 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.The Manchester (England) Evening News
4
: a stiff felt hat with dome-shaped crown and narrow brim

Illustration of derby

Illustration of derby
  • derby 4

Examples of derby in a Sentence

a derby between Manchester United and Manchester City
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the top of the steps Oregon’s Governor Oswald West and Salem’s Mayor B. L. Steeves waited as an official welcoming delegation, decked out in their best bib and tucker, including derby hats. Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 Mar. 2025 Today’s roller derby draws spectators of all types. Colleen English, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2025 And dual-gender derbies and moccasins appeal to all. Lily Templeton, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025 And as the seventh-place team in what amounts to an eight-team derby — and the only one not playing over the next three days — the three-point gap masks a precarious position for the Islanders, who fell four points back when the Senators won and the Rangers lost in overtime Wednesday night. Jerry Beach, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for derby

Word History

Etymology

Edward Stanley †1834, 12th earl of Derby

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of derby was in 1796

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Derby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derby. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

derby

noun
der·​by ˈdər-bē How to pronounce derby (audio)
 especially British  ˈdär-
plural derbies
1
: a horse race usually for three-year-olds held annually
2
: a race or contest open to all comers
a fishing derby
3
: a stiff felt hat with dome-shaped top and narrow brim
Etymology

named for Edward Stanley, 12th earl of Derby (a county and town in England)

Word Origin
The first horse race called a Derby was named after an English nobleman named Edward Stanley, the Earl of Derby (1752–1834). The Earl instituted the race in 1780, and it continues to be run to the present day on the first Wednesday in June at Epsom Downs, a racetrack south of London. The name Derby has become attached to other races usually restricted to three-year-old horses, such as the Kentucky Derby. It is used as well of races that have nothing to do with horses, such as the Pinewood Derby run by the Cub Scouts. In the 1800s derby was also the name given in the U.S. to a dome-shaped hat called a bowler in England. The reason why the hat was given this name is uncertain, and nothing seems to link it with horse races.

Geographical Definition

Derby

geographical name

Der·​by ˈdär-bē How to pronounce Derby (audio)
 chiefly U.S.  ˈdər-
city on the Derwent River in Derbyshire, north central England population 252,000

More from Merriam-Webster on derby

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