# derby

Pronunciation: US say "DUR-bee" /ˈdɜɹ.bi/; UK/AUS say "DAH-bee" /ˈdɑː.bi/

## Noun

1. Any of several horse races that are held every year.
   - Simple: One of a few well-known horse races that take place once every year.
   - _Thousands of fans in fancy hats packed the stands for the derby._
   - _Her colt is the early favorite to win this spring's derby._
2. Any organized race or racing contest, not just one for horses.
   - Simple: Any planned race, not only a horse race.
   - _Every summer the county fair ends with a duck derby, as hundreds of rubber ducks float down the river._
   - _The scouts spent weeks building wooden cars for the downhill derby._
3. A bowler hat, a stiff felt hat with a rounded crown and a narrow brim. *(US)*
   - Simple: A hard, round hat with a small brim, also called a bowler hat.
   - _He tipped his derby to the ladies as he strolled down Main Street._
   - _Old photographs show the factory clerks in dark suits and derbies._
4. A sports match between rival teams, especially teams from the same town or area.
   - Simple: A game between two teams that are rivals, often from the same town.
   - _Tickets for Sunday's local derby sold out within an hour._
   - _The two soccer clubs share a city, so every derby between them is tense._

## Origin

From the Epsom Derby horse race, named after Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby; ultimately from Derby.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/derby (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).