gaucho

noun

gau·​cho ˈgau̇-(ˌ)chō 

plural gauchos

: a cowboy of the South American pampas

Did you know?

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

Accommodation is both modest and luxurious working estancias, including three nights at the all-inclusive Cerro Guido, a place steeped of gaucho culture. —Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026

From bright patterns to more neutral, everyday options, keep reading to find the 10 best gaucho and palazzo pants worth swapping your denim shorts for this summer, with prices starting as low as $16. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026

Keep scrolling for more gaucho pants at Amazon. —Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026

Keep scrolling to find more throwback-chic gaucho options. —Iman Balagam, InStyle, 21 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gaucho

noun

gau·​cho ˈgau̇-chō 

plural gauchos

: a cowboy of the South American grass-covered plains