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• lasso
  lasso

  noun

  a long rope or line of hide or other material with a running noose at one end, used for roping horses, cattle, etc.
• Lasso
  Lasso

  noun

  Orlando di Orlandus Lassus, 1532–94, Flemish composer.

lasso

¹ American  

[las-oh, la-soo] / ˈlæs oʊ, læˈsu /

noun

plural

lassos, lassoes

1. a long rope or line of hide or other material with a running noose at one end, used for roping horses, cattle, etc.

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verb (used with object)

lassoed, lassoing

1. to catch with or as with a lasso.

Lasso ² American  

[lah-soh] / ˈlɑ soʊ /

noun

1. Orlando di Orlandus Lassus, 1532–94, Flemish composer.

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lasso British  

/ ˈlæsəʊ, læˈsuː /

noun

1. a long rope or thong with a running noose at one end, used (esp in America) for roping horses, cattle, etc; lariat

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verb

1. (tr) to catch with or as if with a lasso

Other Word Forms

• lassoer
  noun
• unlassoed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of lasso

1760–70; < Spanish lazo < Latin laqueus noose, bond; see lace

Explanation

A lasso is the loop of rope that cowboys use to catch cattle. To be a successful cowboy or cowgirl, you have to learn to throw a lasso while riding a galloping horse. The circle of rope is called a lasso. and to lasso is to use it to catch a runaway animal. A child might lasso her stuffed animals while riding a rocking horse, and during a rodeo, cowboys who specialize in "trick roping" use their lassos to do fancy spinning tricks. Lasso was coined in the U.S. around 1807, from the Spanish lazo, and its Latin root laqueum, both meaning "noose" or "snare."

Example Sentences

Her frizzy hairstyle and lasso try celebration have attracted attention, resulting in the Red Roses selling red cowboy hats.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2025

This allows her to swing the hose up to spray water over her back with a movement like a lasso.

From NewsForKids.net • Nov. 21, 2024

In between each performance, audience members cheered at bull riding competitions, circus acts, folklórico dancers, and lasso throwers.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 2, 2024

“They get up and go, they can shoot, they can lasso, they can ride over the horizon and speak up about what they see and they are very strong, outspoken characters.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2024

The lasso dropped neatly over the end of the flagpole.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart