ENGLISH
REFERENCE

derby

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdɝbi// UK //dˈɑːbi// der·by

n. a sports match between two teams from the same city or local area. It is also a famous horse race that happens every year.

n. a sporting contest between local rivals, typically in football; also used to designate a prominent annual horse race for three-year-olds.


SIMPLE

The local derby between the two city teams is always crowded.

CONTEXTUAL

Fans are already lining up for tickets to the North London derby, as the rivalry between these two clubs goes back decades.

Synonyms
Origin

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.

Usage

Often used as a modifier before another noun, such as 'derby day' or 'derby match'.

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