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

Dillahunt will play modern cowboy William Macon, a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024

Kate’s emerging cowboy tendencies, Trowbridge’s ruthlessness and immaturity, Eidra’s laser focus on intelligence gathering and analysis, Dennison’s rectitude, Roylin’s geopolitics-whisperer shtick — all are heightened and more immediately consequential than before. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024

Verb

While Tubac may be the oldest city, World Atlas, a geography website, compiled a list of other old Arizona cities and towns ranging from former mining communities to cowboy territories. —Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 14 Aug. 2024

Taylor Sheridan to cowboy up in Fort Worth Sheridan, 54, is a North Texas native who is the creative force behind some of the biggest television series of the last few years. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 July 2024

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