derry
noun
a meaningless refrain or chorus in old songs.
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derry
1 American
[der-ee]
/ ˈdɛr i /
noun
-
derries
plural
Derry
2
American
[der-ee]
/ ˈdɛr i /
Derry
1
British
/ ˈdɛrɪ /
noun
-
a district in NW Northern Ireland, in Co Londonderry. Pop: 106 456 (2003 est). Area: 387 sq km (149 sq miles)
-
another name for Londonderry
derry
2
British
/ ˈdɛrɪ /
noun
derry
3
British
/ ˈdɛrɪ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of derry
First recorded in 1545–55; of obscure origin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A "derry" - slang for a derelict building - offered an option to young people seeking an alternative to the "taxpaying nine-to-five" lifestyle, says Prof Cohen.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2019
When he heard them stir he clapped his hands, and cried: ‘Hey! Come merry dol! derry dol! My hearties!’
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
There were three Ravens sat on a tree,— They were as black as they might be: With a down, derry derry derry down down!
From Lyrics from the Song-Books of the Elizabethan Age by Bullen, A. H. (Arthur Henry)
Leg a derry Leg a merry mett mer whoope whir Drivance, Larumben, Grandam boy, heye!
From Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - Second Series by Sidgwick, Frank
La, la, la, lan ti dan derry, dan da dan, lan ti dan, dan tan derry, dan do.
From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 6 by Hazlitt, William Carew
Philip 'Wally' Wallace is the Tuned In Project's music media teacher in Derry.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The prosecution case was based, in part, on footage from MTV which was recorded in Derry on the day of the murder.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
“More than just a card show, it is a cultural event built around the art of collecting,” LA Card Show co-founder Adam Derry said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
Co-defendant Gerard Farmer, of Westlake in Derry, pleaded guilty to three charges between 2011 and 2013 and was jailed for 21 months.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
Derry, I was told of a friendly fairy who, dressed as an old woman, came one evening to a cottage where a poor man and his wife lived.
From Ulster Folklore by Andrews, Elizabeth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
