rugby

noun

rug·​by ˈrəg-bē 

often capitalized

: 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

Watch on Deadline Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher with partner Alan Bersten. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024

The aircraft had been chartered to take the Uruguayan amateur rugby team from Montevideo, Uruguay, to Santiago, Chile, for a match but went down after striking a mountain and losing both wings. —Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 8 Oct. 2024

Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher and partner Alan Bersten scored a 24 on the Tango. —Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024

Luke Milton, former Australian rugby player and founder of Training Mate, grew up in a world where community was everything. —Brin Snelling, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

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