cowboy

American  

[kou-boi] / ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ /

noun

• cowboys
  plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cowboys
  plural

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

See Examples For:

cowboy cowboys

Just make sure your bedazzled cowboy hat won’t block anyone else’s view.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The UK government last month announced plans to give people greater protections against "cowboy builders" through a database of trusted traders.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Field hollers, blues, ballads, spirituals, game songs, cowboy songs: these are among folk music’s many familiar forms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Often duded up in a cowboy hat and suspenders, Eatherly had a knack for marketing and proved to be an exceptional conman.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

Lanky, with a loping gait, and dressed in what some Europeans thought was Western or Texan clothing, he was described as being “laconic as the hero of an old cowboy movie.”

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

As the 10-day Stampede comes to a close this weekend, and the fairground rides go silent and cowboys head back to the ranch, both sides say this is only the beginning of their fight.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Chili’s origins are debated, but it is believed to have its roots in Mexican cuisine and was popular in the 19th century as a cheap and portable source of protein for cowboys.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

With their flamboyant costumes and choreography, the group became a pop culture phenomenon, targeting disco's large gay audience with camp fantasy characters of butch builders, bikers, cowboys and soldiers.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

Saavedra briefly entertained the name “Charro,” a reference to Mexican cowboys, before landing on Tapatío, a nickname used for people born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where all three of his children were born.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026

But charros were not poor cowboys but rich men, and Salvador had learned that he, a fisherman’s son, could never become one.

From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty

Related Words

• bronco