Rugby Meaning

/ˈɹʌɡbi/
A2

Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Listen pronunciation

nounA form of football in which players can hold or kick an ovoid ball; rugby football. The ball cannot be handled forwards and points are scored by touching the ball to the ground in the area past the opponent's territory or by kicking the ball between goalposts and over a crossbar.

nounThe form of the game known as rugby union (see the usage note).

Playing rugby, he got injured.
Rugby is an outdoor game.
He suffered a minor shoulder injury during the weekend rugby match.
CEFR Practice Quiz
He broke his nose while playing ____ without protective gear last weekend.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The school introduced ____ as a compulsory sport for all students in the upper years.

From the name of Rugby School in Rugby, in Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom, where the modern game was developed in the 19th century. The place name Rugby is attested in the Domesday Book as Old English Rocheberie (probably equivalent to rook (“Corvus frugilegus, a bird of the crow family”) + -by (suffix indicating a village or town)), possibly from *Hrōcebyriġ, dative singular of *Hrōceburh, from hrōc (“rook”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“to crow”)) + burh, burg (“castle, fort, stronghold; city; town”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“hill, mountain; high, lofty; to rise”)).

"I don't know why, but for some reason people who work undercover for department store security always wear rugbies and khakis." — 2003, B. Lawson Thornton, Misery Loves Company: The Diary of Kerri Mitchell, East River Press, →ISBN:
"Jansports and cargo pants were everywhere, set off with overstated polos, rugbies, and sweatshirts blaring the logos of hip hop designers." — 2007, Adam Mansbach, Angry Black White Boy: […], Crown, →ISBN, page 69:
"I bought three jogging suits, a pair of Polo sneakers, and two rugbies." — 2015, Tony Jackson, From the Streets to the Sheets, Page Publishing, →ISBN:

Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words

CEFR Practice Quiz
He broke his nose while playing ____ without protective gear last weekend.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The school introduced ____ as a compulsory sport for all students in the upper years.

Expand Your Vocabulary with LexUp

Master English words using smart flashcards, play exciting word rounds, and compete with other learners worldwide.

Browse CEFR Words Alphabetically