ETYM Orig., a gallows, from a hangman named Derrick. The name is of Dutch origin; Dutch Diederik, Dierryk, prop. meaning, chief of the people; cf. AS. peódric, Eng. Theodoric, German Dietrich. Related to Dutch, and Rich.
1. A framework erected over an oil well to allow drill tubes to be raised and lowered.
2. A simple crane having lifting tackle slung from a boom.
Hoisting mechanism using a boom and a central post.
Simple lifting machine consisting of a pole carrying a block and tackle. Derricks are commonly used on ships that carry freight. In the oil industry the tower used for hoisting the drill pipes is known as a derrick.