Dictionary:
der·by (dûr'bē; där'bē)  |
[After Edward Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (1752-1834), founder of the English Derby.]
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(DUR-bee, British: DAHR-bee)
noun
1. An annual race event for three-year-old horses, held near London, England.
2. Any of various similar horse races, e.g. Kentucky Derby.
3. Any race or other contest open to all.
4. A stiff felt hat with a round crown and a narrow brim.
Etymology
After Edward Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (1752-1834), who founded the English Derby in 1780.
| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Derby |
For more information on Derby, visit Britannica.com.
| British History: Derby |
Described by Disraeli as ‘the Blue Riband of the Turf’, the Derby is the top event in the flat season's racing calendar. First run on 4 May 1780, the race is named after its founder, the 12th earl of Derby. It is a race for 3-year-olds, run on Epsom downs.
| Columbia Encyclopedia: Derby |
| Wikipedia: Derby (horse race) |
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A derby (pronounced "dar-bee" /dɑːbɪ/ in most of the English-speaking world and "dur-bee" /dɚbɪ/ in North American English) is a type of horse race, named after the Epsom Derby, still run at Epsom racecourse in England. It was in turn named for Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, who inaugurated the race in 1780. Probably the best-known example in the United States is the Kentucky Derby.
Traditionally, the term "derby" is used strictly to refer to races restricted to three-year-olds, as the English and U.S. Triple Crown races all are. The most notable exceptions to this rule are the Hong Kong Derby and Singapore Derby, restricted to four-year-old Thoroughbreds, and the Canadian Pacing Derby, an annual harness race for "aged pacers" (Standardbreds) four years old and up.
The race is also a popular 'upper crust' sport in India, with races being held in Mumbai, Bangalore and Mysore.
By extension from horse racing, derby is also used for any type of individual competitive event, such as a roller derby. In Britain, it is used (often in the form local derby) to mean a football match between local rival teams. For example, the Liverpool derby is Liverpool versus Everton. This usage derives from the traditional rivalry between Derby City and Derby County football teams and their annual match. The term "local derby", in turn, has been extended to football and other sports in other parts of the world (although typically not in North America).
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Copyrights:
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wordsmith Words. © 2009 Wordsmith.org. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| British History. A Dictionary of British History. Copyright © 2001, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Derby (horse race)". Read more |
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