cowboy

1 of 2

noun

cow·​boy ˈkau̇-ˌbȯi 

1

: one who tends cattle or horses

especially : a usually mounted cattle-ranch hand

2

: a rodeo performer

3

: one having qualities (such as recklessness, aggressiveness, or independence) popularly associated with cowboys: such as

a

: a reckless driver

b

: a business or businessperson operating in an uncontrolled or unregulated manner

cowboy

2 of 2

verb

cowboyed; cowboying; cowboys

intransitive verb

: to work as a cowboy

cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma

Did you know?

In the American West, a horseman skilled at handling cattle is called a cowboy. From ca.1820, cowboys were employed in small numbers on Texas ranches. After the Civil War, their numbers rapidly multiplied as cattle-raising evolved into a lucrative industry throughout the western territories. Cowboys rounded up and branded the cattle, kept watch over the herd, and drove those ready for market to railroad towns. As the agricultural frontier moved west, the open range was transformed into farms, and by 1890 cowboys had been forced to settle on ranches. The romance of their image lives on in American folklore and through movies and television.

Synonyms

Noun

• buckaroo
• buckeroo
• cowhand
• cowman
• cowpoke
• cowpuncher
• waddy [West]
• waddie
• wrangler

Examples of cowboy in a Sentence

Noun

a movie about cowboys in the old West

He worked for several years as a cowboy on a ranch in Texas.

We've got a bunch of risk-taking cowboys running this project.

Verb

He cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The sun was tucked away, but the cheeks were out Sunday at the West Hollywood Pride Parade as go-go dancers in jockstraps and gay cowboys in breezy leather chaps strolled down Santa Monica Boulevard. —Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2024

The cowboy, played by actor Madelyn Murphy, only had one health point left — the result of some unlucky dice rolls and a run-in with a group of dagger-wielding thieves in the first act. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 3 May 2024

Verb

Frequently Asked Questions Can cowboy pasta salad be frozen? —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 9 May 2024

From Bambi blonde to cowboy copper and everything in between, Vogue breaks down some of the hottest fall hair colors to try now, with help from industry experts. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1925, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cowboy

• cowboy boot
• cowboy hat
• drugstore cowboy

Kids Definition

cowboy

noun

cow·​boy

-ˌbȯi

: one who tends cattle or horses

especially : a mounted cattle-ranch worker