Illustration of derrick
- derrick 2
1
: a hoisting apparatus employing a tackle rigged at the end of a beam
2
: a framework or tower over a deep drill hole (as of an oil well) for supporting boring tackle or for hoisting and lowering
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During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, London was the home of a notorious executioner named Derick. Among those he beheaded was the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, who supposedly had once saved the life of the ungrateful executioner. While members of the nobility were accorded the courtesy of beheading, it was the lot of commoners to be hanged, and those sent to face the rope at the hands of the executioner Derick nicknamed the gallows after him. Today, derrick is commonly used for a framework, but one that supports equipment used in drilling for oil.
Examples of derrick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fisk is the industry’s go-to designer for period-specific prestige, re-creating Five Points for Gangs of New York, 1920s oil derricks for There Will Be Blood, and the colors of the luxury cars and fine pottery of the Osage in Killers of the Flower Moon.
—
Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Dec. 2025
The company built a 54-foot statue of an oil derrick, now the largest monument in the Austin, Texas, area.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
At no great distance from the base of the derrick, there were million-dollar views northeast toward Acadia and south toward the open ocean.
—Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
One paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that fewer than 1 percent of fossil fuel workers have transitioned to green jobs, citing a lack of translatable skills — operating an oil derrick isn’t as applicable to installing solar panels, for example.
—Umair Irfan, Vox, 21 Apr. 2025
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Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Dec. 2025
The company built a 54-foot statue of an oil derrick, now the largest monument in the Austin, Texas, area.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
At no great distance from the base of the derrick, there were million-dollar views northeast toward Acadia and south toward the open ocean.
—Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
One paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that fewer than 1 percent of fossil fuel workers have transitioned to green jobs, citing a lack of translatable skills — operating an oil derrick isn’t as applicable to installing solar panels, for example.
—Umair Irfan, Vox, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derrick
Cite this Entry
“Derrick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derrick. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
derrick
noun
der·rick
ˈder-ik 
1
: any of various machines for moving or hoisting heavy weights by means of a long beam fitted with pulleys and cables
2
: a framework or tower over a deep drill hole (as of an oil well) for supporting machinery
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