Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “derby” come from?

derby (English) comes from Middle English Derby, from Old English Dēorbȳ, from Old Norse Djúra-bý, from Old Norse dýr, from Proto-Norse *ᛞᛖᚢᛉᚨ, from Proto-Germanic deuzą, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewsóm, from Proto-Indo-European dʰéws — to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature.

derby (English): A type of cheese made in Derby, England

Definitions

  1. A type of cheese made in Derby, England

Ancestry of “derby”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishDerby—
2Old EnglishDēorbȳ—
3Old NorseDjúra-bý—
4Old Norsedýranimal
5Proto-Norse*ᛞᛖᚢᛉᚨ—
6Proto-Germanicdeuząanimal, beast
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewsómliving thing
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰéwsbreath
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰwes-to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature

Words derived from “derby”

  • Derbyshire
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes- →