rodeo

[ roh-dee-oh, roh-dey-oh ]

noun

, plural ro·de·os.

1. a public exhibition of cowboy skills, as bronco riding and calf roping.
2. a roundup of cattle.
3. Informal. any contest offering prizes in various events:

   a bicycle rodeo for kids under twelve.

4. (initial capital letter, italics) a ballet (1942) choreographed by Agnes de Mille, with musical score by Aaron Copland.

verb (used without object)

, ro·de·oed, ro·de·o·ing.

1. to participate or compete in a rodeo or rodeos:

   He's been rodeoing since he was twelve.

rodeo

/ ˈrəʊdɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. a display of the skills of cowboys, including bareback riding, steer wrangling, etc
2. the rounding up of cattle for branding, counting, inspection, etc
3. an enclosure for cattle that have been rounded up

Other Words From

• rode·oer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rodeo¹

1825–35; < Spanish: cattle ring, derivative of rodear to go round, itself derivative of rueda wheel < Latin rota

Word History and Origins

Origin of rodeo¹

C19: from Spanish, from rodear to go around, from rueda a wheel, from Latin rota

Example Sentences

It was nothing related to the rodeo, Todd and Sacha were just not the best creative fit for each other.

From The Daily Beast

The previous weekend the city had hosted the annual World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale, a rodeo that brings concert stages to Main Street and hundreds of revelers into the Montana Bar.

From Washington Post

Now Abbott has thrust Texans back into the reopen rodeo show, and so here we go again.

From Washington Post

It’s subtle on many skis, but rocker is that three-dimensional shaping reminiscent of the upturned nose of a surfboard or the hull of a rodeo kayak.

From Outside Online

Local regulations in Omaha allow for 75 percent capacity at CHI Health Center, which is usually home to the Creighton University basketball teams but also hosts concerts, rodeos and professional wrestling events.

From Washington Post

When Brooks went into his second song, an old hit called “Rodeo,” the cheers grew so loud it was hard to hear him sing.

From The Daily Beast

The Gossip Girl actress has followed Gwyneth Paltrow to the blogging ‘n’ selling online rodeo.

From The Daily Beast

In the movie, Matthew McConaughey plays a rodeo cowboy diagnosed with AIDS.

From The Daily Beast

This was the rodeo equivalent of pulling the sword out of the stone.

From The Daily Beast

He resisted the lures of the buckle bunnies who linger late in a rodeo arena, looking to sidle up against the winners.

From The Daily Beast

Ten years from now, thar won't be a cow hand ner a gun outside a dude ranch er a rodeo.

From Project Gutenberg

Anza refers to only one, in addition to the one on Rodeo Creek, viz., the large village at Tormey.

From Project Gutenberg

We may tentatively draw their boundary between Rodeo and Crockett.

From Project Gutenberg

Life during the rodeo was a combined circus and school-day vacation when off duty with the herd.

From Project Gutenberg

We was workin' the rodeo back of Dos Cabezas when we come across a seven-year ol' black horse that was an outlaw.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• festival