cowboy

American  

[kou-boi] / ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ /

noun

1. a man who herds and tends cattle on a ranch, especially in the western U.S., and who traditionally goes about most of his work on horseback.

2. a man who exhibits the skills attributed to such cowboys, especially in rodeos.

3. Chiefly Northeastern U.S. a reckless or speedy automobile driver.

4. Informal. a reckless or irresponsible person, especially a show-off or one who undertakes a dangerous or sensitive task heedlessly.

   They put foreign policy in the hands of cowboys.

5. (during the American Revolution) a member of a pro-British guerrilla band that operated between the American and British lines near New York City.

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verb (used without object)

1. to work as a cowboy.

cowboy British  

/ ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ /

noun

1. Also called: cowhand.  a hired man who herds and tends cattle, usually on horseback, esp in the western US

2. a conventional character of Wild West folklore, films, etc, esp one involved in fighting Indians

3. informal

   1. a person who is an irresponsible or unscrupulous operator in business

   2. ( as modifier )

      cowboy contractors

      cowboy shop steward

4. a man or boy who tends cattle

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cowgirl
  noun

Etymology

Origin of cowboy

First recorded in 1715–25; cow ¹ + boy

Explanation

A cowboy is a ranch worker whose job is to herd or tend cattle while riding a horse. If you visit a ranch, you may get to watch cowboys doing tricks with lassos. Cowboys work hard caring for herds of cattle, and they are experts at doing their jobs on horseback. Many cowboys also perform in rodeos, either for money or just for fun. A cowboy is traditionally male, and while there are women who do the same work on ranches, they're typically called cowgirls. The word cowboy dates from the early 1800s in the Western United States — sometimes these ranch workers were called cowhands or cowpokes.

Example Sentences

If you’ve wondered what would happen when a garage-rocker cowboy is joined by a punk who likes the Western wail of steel guitars, look no further than “Blame the Clown.”

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026

A tasselled blue Texan-style ensemble -- complete with a cowboy hat for the robot -- and a retro silver puffer jacket were among the looks showcased at the event on Thursday.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

At the very least, you need a rhinestone-studded cowboy hat.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

She also kept some blinged-out, custom-made high-heeled cowboy boots nearby just in case.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Charlie says it looks like a cowboy movie.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

Related Words

• bronco