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

Channel the gaucho lifestyle in a look that pairs rustic earth tones with durable leather; layer up for evenings spent wine tasting, stargazing, or both. —Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2026

So guess who becomes Bond's ally? Played for broad comedy and featuring bizarre pop culture references (the Magnificent Seven theme plays when Roger Moore dresses like a gaucho), Moonraker finds the franchise parodying itself. —Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Jan. 2026

Expect to see a lot more of their eye-wateringly expensive merino wool gaucho bomber jackets in the stands next year. —Rachel Marlowe, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025

Leather, ponchos, Argentina’s culinary traditions, horseback riding and the broader gaucho culture rooted in traditional livestock farming all contributed to the aesthetic that defines his brand. —Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 1 Dec. 2025

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