vaquero

noun

va·​que·​ro vä-ˈker-(ˌ)ō 

plural vaqueros

: herdsman, cowboy

—used in reference to cowboys in areas (such as Mexico and the southwestern U.S.) where Spanish is spoken

Just as they were among the most accomplished of all horsemen, vaqueros were masters of the rope which they called reata.

—Martin W. Sandler

On the third day the vaqueros brought a small herd of wild three year old colts down from the mesa and penned them …

—Cormac McCarthy

The study, called "Fajitas South Texas Style," leaves its readers with images of gringo cowboys and Mexican vaqueros eating tough pieces of skirt steak seared directly on the hot coals of their campfires and then wrapped in tortillas.

—Mary Davis Suro

Examples of vaquero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Our guide and horse wrangler was one Slim, a local vaquero and an old friend of mine. —Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 26 June 2024

His style is an artistic amalgam of motifs from Alaska to Patagonia, inspired by the work of tailors like Nathan Turk and Nudie Cohn, of course, and the Mexican vaqueros before them. —thehustle.co, 3 Feb. 2024

The American cowboy, so much a part of the iconography and outlaw ethos of country music, is based on the Mexican vaquero. —Craig Marks, New York Times, 27 May 2024

What began as a utilitarian necessity for anyone getting around by horse, the earliest cowboy boots took inspiration from the footwear worn by Spanish vaqueros in the 17th century. —Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Spanish — more at buckaroo

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

vaquero

noun

va·​que·​ro vä-ˈke(ə)r-ō 

plural vaqueros

: cowboy

Etymology

from Spanish vaquero "cowboy," from vaca "cow," from Latin vacca "cow" — related to buckaroo, vaccine see Word History at vaccine