Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rugby” come from?

Rugby is an English word of unknown origin that entered Cebuano through borrowing and was subsequently re-borrowed back into English in a cyclical pattern.

rugby (English): A form of football in which players can hold or...

Definitions

  1. A form of football in which players can hold or...

Ancestry of “rugby”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Cebuanorugbyrubber cement, contact cement; the sport of rugby
2EnglishRugby—
3EnglishRokeby—
4Old Norsebýbee
5Proto-Germanicbiją—
6Proto-Germanicbijǭbee
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰey-bee

Words derived from “rugby”

  • rugby
  • rugger
  • rugbyist
  • nonrugby
  • rugby boy
  • rugby
  • rugby
  • rugby
  • rugbywoman
  • Rugby
  • rugby
  • ラグビー
  • rugby
  • ragbi
  • рагби
  • rugby
  • ragby
  • 럭비
  • rugbaí
  • रग्बी
  • รักบี้
  • rugby
  • rugby boy
  • ragbi
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰey- →