gaucho

noun

gau·​cho ˈgau̇-(ˌ)chō How to pronounce gaucho (audio)
plural gauchos
: a cowboy of the South American pampas

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The nomadic and colorful horsemen of the Argentine and Uruguayan plains, the gauchos remain folk heroes famed for hardiness and lawlessness. Gauchos flourished from the mid-18th to the mid-19th century. At first they rounded up the herds of horses and cattle that roamed freely on the vast grasslands east of the Andes. In the early 19th century, they fought first in the armies that defeated the Spanish colonial regime and then for the military dictators who jockeyed for power after independence. Argentine writers celebrated the gauchos, and gaucho literature is an important part of the Argentine cultural tradition.

Examples of gaucho in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So, consider the currently available bivalent boosters to be a bit like gaucho pants, hoodie sets, or skinny jeans with chunky sneakers. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2023 In 1987, the leaders of both countries announced the creation of a common unit of account, called the gaucho, to measure trade between the nations. Daniel Carvalho, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2023 Visitors can embrace the solitude of life as a gaucho, a native horseman that personifies the frontier spirit. Janelle Davis, CNN, 9 July 2022 The rugged landscape reverberates throughout the local gaucho culture, which celebrates the cowboy way South American style. R.t. Watson, WSJ, 22 June 2022 On Thursday, Dudamel presented the full ballet score that follows the day in the life of a gaucho out to prove himself and win his love. Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2022 In Uruguay, where it is made with quince paste, it is called Martin Fierro, after a popular fictional gaucho. Bee Wilson, WSJ, 24 Mar. 2022 The sun finally rises, and TJ rides in on a horse dressed like a real gaucho to welcome the players to their final day. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 27 May 2021 Jara and his family have been puesteros (a type of gaucho) for generations. Dan Sadgrove, National Geographic, 6 Apr. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gaucho.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gaucho was in 1824

Dictionary Entries Near gaucho

Cite this Entry

“Gaucho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaucho. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

gaucho

noun
gau·​cho ˈgau̇-chō How to pronounce gaucho (audio)
plural gauchos
: a cowboy of the South American grass-covered plains

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