derby

derby — noun

1. a football or rugby match played by two sides that come from the same city or re

1.nounB1
Definition

a football or rugby match played by two sides that come from the same city or region, often treated as the most important game of the season by supporters.

Example

Kevin and his dad went to watch the north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham.

derby between [team A] and [team B]

The Manchester derby always draws a huge crowd to the stadium.

the + city name + derby

Common collocations
  • local derby
  • city derby
  • north London derby
  • derby match
  • derby game
  • win the derby
  • the derby between [teams]
Synonyms
  • local derby

    emphasises the geographic proximity of the two teams

  • local match

    more general; derby carries stronger rivalry connotations

  • rivalry match

    broader; can refer to any two rival teams, not just local ones

Grammar Patterns

the [city name] derby

[city name] + derby between [teams]

Usage Note

Commonly used in British English for football and rugby matches. The specific name usually follows the pattern 'the [city name] derby' (e.g., 'the Milan derby', 'the Merseyside derby'). Distinguish from sense 3: a local derby is between specific rival teams; an open derby allows any participant.

Common Mistakes

The derby between Liverpool and Manchester is called the Merseyside derby.
The derby between Liverpool and Everton is called the Merseyside derby.
Merseyside is the region containing Liverpool; the local derby involves teams from the same city, not just any two nearby cities.

2. an important horse race that takes place every year and is open only to horses t

2.nounB1
Definition

an important horse race that takes place every year and is open only to horses that are three years old.

Example

The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in the United States.

the [Name] Derby — capitalised proper name

Niran watched the derby on television with his grandfather and uncle.

Common collocations
  • Kentucky Derby
  • Epsom Derby
  • annual derby
  • run in the derby
  • win the derby
  • derby winner
  • derby horse
Synonyms
  • race

    generic term; derby implies an annual, prestigious event

  • thoroughbred race

    more specific; derby races typically feature thoroughbreds

Grammar Patterns

the [Name] Derby

Derby + [noun]

Usage Note

When referring to a specific named race, 'Derby' is usually capitalised (e.g., 'the Kentucky Derby', 'the Epsom Derby'). The word alone ('the Derby') often refers to the original Epsom Derby in England. Only sense 2 involves horses and an age restriction.

Common Mistakes

The Kentucky Derby is open to all horses.
The Kentucky Derby is open only to three-year-old horses.
Age restrictions are a defining feature of a classic derby race.

3. a contest or competition that anyone can join, without needing special qualifica

3.nounB2
Definition

a contest or competition that anyone can join, without needing special qualifications or an invitation.

Example

The fishing derby on the lake is open to children and adults alike.

fishing derby — noun + derby compound

Amira entered the local baking derby and won second place with her apple pie.

Common collocations
  • fishing derby
  • baking derby
  • soapbox derby
  • charity derby
  • enter a derby
  • win a derby
  • derby event
Synonyms
  • open competition

    more formal; derby has a more casual, community feel

  • contest

    broader; derby often implies a public, amateur event

  • tournament

    usually implies multiple elimination rounds; derby can be a single event

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[noun] + derby

Usage Note

This sense is especially common in American English, where 'derby' follows a noun describing the activity (fishing derby, baking derby, soapbox derby). Unlike sense 1, the focus is on open entry, not local rivalry. Unlike sense 2, no horse racing or age restrictions apply.

Common Mistakes

I joined a derby competition for professional chefs only.
I joined an open cooking derby that anyone could enter.
Sense 3 specifically means the contest is open to all, not restricted.

4. a hard hat with a round top and a narrow, curved brim, usually black, that was c

4.nounB2
Definition

a hard hat with a round top and a narrow, curved brim, usually black, that was commonly worn by men in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Example

The old man tipped his derby hat politely as he walked past the group.

derby hat — common name for this hat style

Jenna found an old black derby in a box in her grandfather's closet.

Common collocations
  • derby hat
  • black derby
  • wear a derby
  • derby on his head
  • stiff derby
Synonyms
  • bowler hat

    the British English term for the same hat

  • bowler

    short form of bowler hat, used in British English

Grammar Patterns

derby hat

a derby

Usage Note

Called a 'bowler hat' in British English and a 'derby' or 'derby hat' in American English. This sense is now old-fashioned in daily wear but appears in historical descriptions and period films.

Idioms

Derby

idiom

a city in Derbyshire, north central England, situated on the River Derwent, known for its manufacturing and railway history. This is a proper noun (place name) rather than an idiomatic expression.

The train from London to Derby takes about an hour and forty minutes.

Yan visited Derby last spring to see the cathedral and the Derby Silk Mill museum.

Word family

  • derbies
    noun (plural)B1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'local derby' specifically refers to a match between two teams from the same city or region, carrying extra emotional weight for fans. 'Local match' is a broader, more neutral term — any game between local teams, without the passionate rivalry implied by 'derby'. 'Rivalry match' extends beyond geography: two teams can be rivals without being local (e.g., Barcelona vs. Real Madrid), whereas a derby is always local. 'Local fixture' is a scheduling term used in league contexts and carries no rivalry connotation at all. For example, 'the north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham' is a genuine derby; a mid-season game between two nearby lower-league sides with no history of tension would be better described as a 'local match' or 'local fixture'.

local derbylocal matchrivalry matchlocal fixture

Common collocations

Nouns

  • derby match
  • derby game
  • derby race
  • derby winner
  • derby hat

Phrases

  • the [city name] derby
  • [activity] + derby

Prepositions

  • in the derby
  • at the derby

Etymology

EnglishFrenchEnglish

The word 'derby' traces back to the 12th Earl of Derby, who founded the Epsom Derby horse race in 1780. The race's prestige caused 'derby' to be borrowed for other major competitions — first for any important horse race, then for local sports matches of special significance (by the early 20th century). The 'derby hat' (called 'bowler' in British English) emerged around the 1850s; the name may come from the Derby race or from a hatmaker named Derby — the exact origin is disputed. Modern uses such as 'soapbox derby' and 'fishing derby' extend the 'open competition' meaning that developed in 19th-century America.