Derby

UK: 'derby': UK: /ˈdɑːbi/, US: /dˈɜː^rbi/; 'Derby': UK: /ˈdɑːbi/ /ˈdɜːrbi/, US: /dˈɜːbi/

US: /ˈdɝbi/

US: (Sport, Clothing dûr′bē; Brit. där′bē; Geogr. dûr′bē; for 1, 2 also Brit. där′bē)

Inflections of 'Derby' (n): npl: Derbies

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

Der•by /ˈdɜrbi/   n. [countable] , pl. -bies. 

1. Sport any of certain important horse races, esp. the Kentucky Derby, that are held every year.
2. Sport [derby] a race or contest, usually one open to all who wish to enter.
3. Clothing [derby] a man's stiff felt hat with rounded crown and narrow brim;
   bowler.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

Der•by  (dûr′bē; Brit. där′bē), n., pl. -bies. 

1. Place Names, Sport a race for three-year-old horses that is run annually at Epsom Downs, near London, England: first run in 1780.
2. Place Names, Sport any of certain other important annual horse races, usually for three-year-old horses, esp. the Kentucky Derby.
3. Sport, Place Names (l.c.) a race or contest, usually one open to all who wish to enter and offering a prize for the winner.
4. (l.c.) any endeavor or venture regarded as a competition:
   to win the gubernatorial derby.
5. Clothing (l.c.) Also called bowler. a stiff felt hat with rounded crown and narrow brim, worn chiefly by men.

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

Der•by  (dûr′bē; for 1, 2 also Brit. där′bē), n. 

1. a city in Derbyshire, in central England. 215,200.
2. Derbyshire.
3. a city in S Connecticut. 12,346.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Derby / ˈdɑːbɪ ˈdɜːrbɪ/ noun

1. the Derby ⇒ 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. local Derby ⇒ a football match between two teams from the same area

Etymology: 18th Century: named after the twelfth Earl of Derby (died 1834), who founded the horse race at Epsom Downs in 1780

Derby / 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. sage Derby ⇒ a green-and-white Derby cheese flavoured with sage

Derby / ˈdɑːbɪ/ noun

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

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

derby / ˈdɜːrbɪ/ noun ( -bies)

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