Ruggers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A colloquial term for rugby players, emphasizing their robust and energetic nature as athletes
2. Informal slang referring to individuals who play the sport of rugby, highlighting teamwork and competitiveness
3. A casual designation for those participating in rugby, reflecting the sport's physical demands and camaraderie among players

Etymology: "Ruggers" is the plural of "rugger", a informal name for rugby football, and it is a plural of a noun that is itself a clipped form. The first step was simply shortening the game's name, "rugby," with the suffix "-er," the same ending that turns "bank" into "banker" or "mover" into... in this case the suffix is the Oxford-style "-er" familiar from clipped words. The "-er" ending on sports words was a distinctly Oxford habit. "Rugger" and "soccer" (from "Association football") both seem to have arisen at the University of Oxford in the 1880s, where students liked to shorten names of games into two-syllable forms. "Soccer" went on to thrive in North America and elsewhere, while "rugger" stayed mostly British, used for the game and its players alike.

Synonyms: rugby players