poncho

American  

[pon-choh] / ˈpɒn tʃoʊ /

noun

• ponchos
  plural

1. a blanketlike cloak with a hole in the center to admit the head, originating in South America, now often worn as a raincoat.

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poncho British  

/ ˈpɒntʃəʊ /

noun

1. a cloak of a kind originally worn in South America, made of a rectangular or circular piece of cloth, esp wool, with a hole in the middle to put the head through

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ponchoed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ponchos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of poncho

First recorded in 1710–20; from Latin American Spanish: further origin uncertain; perhaps from Araucanian pontho “woolen fabric”; perhaps from Old Spanish poncho “a mantle or cloak”; perhaps a back formation from ponchón “lazy, sluggish”; perhaps an alteration of unrecorded pochón, an augmentative of pocho “pale, faded,” and probably akin to pachón “phlegmatic, sluggish”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

poncho ponchos

But the road wasn’t silent—trekking poles clicking against stone, rain snapping against my poncho, the slide of rocks under my shoes and the chorus of “buen camino.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Booth posted a video of himself on James's social media accounts, speaking in a deep gravelly voice and wrapped in a large poncho.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

“Once he was holding hands with a girl and once he traded hats with a field worker and walked right through us wearing a poncho and field hand’s sombrero.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Wear a rain rain jacket or poncho instead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2025

Mrs. Sidman came out with a dark green poncho that covered her head and reached down to her ankles.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

"I just hope that the Kates and Cathys have got their thermals and their rain ponchos because they might need them."

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

The approximately 70,000 spectators, many already in ponchos and rain coats, filed out and, in little more than 15 minutes, the concourses of "the Linc" resembled a huge train station on a holiday travel day.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

Unlike his bandmates in the Dead, Weir had a long-running interest in personal style, and frequently opted for tucked-in button-down shirts, western wear and polo shirts instead of tie-dye and ponchos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2026

Those who did attend used umbrellas, ponchos and awnings to protect themselves from the downpour.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 1, 2026

All three wore oilskin ponchos, which they shed and shook out, one by one, before coming into the house.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk