rugby
UK[ˈrʌɡbi]US[ˈrʌɡbi]
n
a team game played with an oval ball that may be kicked, carried, and passed from hand to hand, with the aim of grounding the ball behind the opponents' goal line or kicking it over a crossbar between goalposts.
Etymology
the word 'rugby' originates directly from the name of rugby school in warwickshire, england. according to tradition, the sport began in 1823 when a pupil, william webb ellis, picked up the ball during a game of football and ran with it. the name of the school was thus applied to this new style of football, distinguishing it from association football (soccer). the term transitioned from a proper noun referring to the location to a common noun for the sport itself, a classic example of toponymic word formation.
Analysis
this is a toponym, a word derived from a place name. it does not segment into meaningful morphemes based on its current english spelling.
Examples
he played rugby for the national team before retiring.
the rules of rugby union and rugby league differ significantly.
every saturday, the local field is filled with children learning to play rugby.