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• Derby
  Derby

  noun

  a city in Derbyshire in central England.
• derby
  derby

  noun

  a stiff felt hat with a rounded crown and narrow curved brim

Derby

¹ American  

[dur-bee, dahr-bee] / ˈdɜr bi, ˈdɑr bi /

noun

1. a city in Derbyshire in central England.

2. Derbyshire.

3. a city in S Connecticut.

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Derby ² American  

[dur-bee, dahr-bee] / ˈdɜr bi, ˈdɑr bi /

noun

• Derbies
  plural

1. a race for three-year-old horses that is run annually at Epsom Downs, near London, England: first run in 1780.

2. any of certain other important annual horse races, usually for three-year-old horses, especially the Kentucky Derby.

3. (lowercase) a race or contest, usually one open to all who wish to enter and offering a prize for the winner.

4. (lowercase) any endeavor or venture regarded as a competition.

   to win the gubernatorial derby.

5. Also called bowler.  (lowercase) a stiff felt hat with rounded crown and narrow brim, worn chiefly by men.

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Derby ¹ British  

/ ˈdɑːbɪ /

noun

1. a city in central England, in Derby unitary authority, Derbyshire: engineering industries (esp aircraft engines and railway rolling stock); university (1991). Pop: 229 407 (2001)

2. a unitary authority in central England, in Derbyshire. Pop: 233 200 (2003 est). Area: 78 sq km (30 sq miles)

3. a firm-textured pale-coloured type of cheese

4. a green-and-white Derby cheese flavoured with sage

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Derby ² British  

/ ˈdɜːrbɪ, ˈdɑːbɪ /

noun

1. an annual horse race run at Epsom Downs, Surrey, since 1780: one of the English flat-racing classics

2. any of various other horse races

3. a football match between two teams from the same area

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Derby ³ British  

/ ˈdɑːbɪ /

noun

1. Earl of. title of Edward George Geoffrey Smith Stanley. 1799–1869, British statesman; Conservative prime minister (1852; 1858–59; 1866–68)

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derby ⁴ British  

/ ˈdɜːrbɪ /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): bowler.  a stiff felt hat with a rounded crown and narrow curved brim

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Derbies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Derby

First recorded in 1830–40; after Edward Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (died 1834), who instituted the race

Explanation

A derby is a type of hat that's round, felt, stiff, and has a narrow brim. Wear one with a little mustache and a cane, and you’ll look just like Charlie Chaplin. A derby, as the distinctive round hat with a little brim, was made in the U.S. in the 1850s, but it’s probably named after the Derby horse race in England, where men wore this kind of hat. The race was named after the 12th Earl of Derby. A derby can also be called a bowler, bowler hat, derby hat, or plug hat. Derbies are kind of old-fashioned, so you probably won't see anyone wearing one these days.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Derby derby Derbies

England sealed a comfortable series win as they hammered Ireland by six wickets in a one-sided encounter in the second one-day international at Derby.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

The Durham seamer was dropped for the second Test at Lord's after he was briefly arrested following an incident outside a Derby nightclub on 22 August.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

And while soccer remains her main duty, she has also covered the Kentucky Derby numerous times and has fronted NBC’s coverage of the last seven Olympics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

The build-up to the second Test was dominated by the controversy surrounding England pace bowler Brydon Carse, who was dropped from the squad because of an incident outside a nightclub in Derby.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

He hired expert drivers with carriage horses fleet-footed enough to win the Derby.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

It's also been the venue for rugby union's Saracens hosting Harlequins in the London derby since 2023.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The competition—known as the May Bumps, despite occurring in June—is a wet and wild demolition derby in the shadows of England’s most storied halls of learning.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

“It’s Trey’s day,” Dino said, reminiscing on his youngest son’s Little League days, his home run derby victory in Williamsport, Pa., his growth through travel ball and high school.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Roberts said he doesn’t think Ohtani will pitch in the All-Star Game or participate in the home run derby.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

He was always so neat and now his tuxedo jacket was dirty as though he had been lying in the gutter and his derby hat was bashed in.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

"Derbies, you have to win, it does not matter how," said captain Granit Xhaka to Sky Sports.

From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2025

Yakteen has been to plenty of Derbies but this is only his second as the head trainer.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2023

Griffey won three Home Run Derbies, and he spent Saturday in the dugout at the All-Star Futures Game rendering prospects speechless with his presence.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 18, 2022

Two of horses that have a good shot in Saturday’s Classic are Medina Spirit, conditional winner of the Kentucky Derby, and Hot Rod Charlie, winner of the Louisiana and Pennsylvania Derbies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2021

There are men who have seen many Derbies decided and for thirty years or more in succession have experienced the thrill of the race.

From The Rider in Khaki A Novel by Nat Gould