Derby

Derby is a term with several distinct meanings in English, including a horse race, a place name, a type of hat, a type of shoe, and a term for a local sports rivalry between nearby teams.

Derby (city) refers to Derby, a city and unitary authority in Derbyshire, England, located near the River Derwent. It developed as a market town and grew into a center of railway and manufacturing industries. The city hosts the University of Derby and serves as a regional commercial and cultural hub.

The Derby (horse race) is a prestigious flat horse race traditionally open to three-year-olds. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in England and has given rise to numerous similarly named races around the world. In the United States, the Kentucky Derby is a famous version held at Churchill Downs, usually on the first Saturday in May, and is the first leg of the American Triple Crown.

The derby hat, or bowler hat, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown. It became a staple of 19th-century fashion and is still called a derby in some regions, though it is more widely known as a bowler.

In footwear, a derby is a type of lace-up shoe with an open lacing system, where the quarters are sewn on top of the vamp. This contrasts with the oxford, which features a closed lacing system.

In sports usage, a derby refers to a match between two clubs from the same city or region, often generating heightened local interest and rivalry, such as the Merseyside derby or the Manchester derby.