English Reference

Word

derby

Phoneticsder·by

US/ˈdɝbi/

UK/dˈɑːbi/

Definitions

01local sports rivalry

B2 · Sport

n. a sports match between two teams from the same city or local area.

n. a sporting fixture between two local rivals, typically from the same city or region, characterized by intense competition.

“The city was divided as fans headed to the stadium for the local football derby.”

“The North London derby remains one of the most anticipated fixtures in the football calendar, often resulting in a sell-out crowd and heightened security.”

British English

Usage

Often used with 'local' or the names of the two competing sides.

Synonyms

02horse race

B2 · Sport

n. an important horse race that happens every year.

n. a prestigious annual horse race, often restricted to three-year-old horses.

“Thousands of people dressed up to watch the famous horse racing derby.”

“Winning the Kentucky Derby is considered the pinnacle of achievement for many breeders and trainers in the American racing industry.”

Synonyms

03a type of hat

C2

n. a hard, round black hat.

n. a stiff felt hat with a rounded crown and narrow brim.

“The old man in the movie wore a black derby and carried a cane.”

“The character was instantly recognizable by his signature charcoal suit and matching derby hat.”

American English

Teaching tip

In British English, this is almost always called a 'bowler hat'.

Synonyms

bowler hat

04organized competition

B2 · Sport

n. a competition or race that is open to anyone or follows specific rules.

n. an organized competition or race, often involving specific categories of participants or vehicles.

“The kids spent all week building their wooden cars for the soapbox derby.”

“The local community center organized a fishing derby to raise money for the new park equipment.”

American English

Real-World Examples

“Baleba has not yet played because of injury, but as United prepare for Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford, it is Mainoo who has reasserted himself.”
The Guardian · 11 Sept 2026
“And before the extremely serious business of the derby here against Manchester City on Sunday.”
The Guardian · 10 Sept 2026

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English Derby, from Old English Dēorby, of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin, from Old Norse Djúra-bý (“village of the deer”), from dýr (“deer”) + bǿr (“settlement”). Influenced by British Latin Derventio, the Roman site predating Derby, and possibly also the Celtic river name Derwent.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Sports

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/derby

English Reference