rancho

American  

[ran-choh, rahn-, rahn-chaw] / ˈræn tʃoʊ, ˈrɑn-, ˈrɑn tʃɔ /

noun

plural

ranchos

1. a ranch.

2. a hut or collection of huts for herders, laborers, or travelers.

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rancho British  

/ ˈrɑːntʃəʊ /

noun

1. a hut or group of huts for housing ranch workers

2. another word for ranch

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Etymology

Origin of rancho

An Americanism first recorded in 1800–10; from Latin American Spanish: “small farm, camp” ( Spanish: “camp”), from Old Spanish rancharse “to lodge, be billeted,” from Middle French (se) ranger “to be arranged, be installed”; range

Example Sentences

“What’s the big difference between a city rave and a rancho jaripeo, you know? They’re doing the exact same thing.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

Tongva, Chumash and Cahuilla workers in California formed the backbone of rancho agriculture.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

The rancho libertarians I knew were mostly Mexican Americans, but not exclusively — there were Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Peruvians, Colombians.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2024

Soon thereafter, the Marquez and Reyes families sold off most of what remained of the rancho, including the cemetery.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2024

“Yes, señora. When the rancho broke up they put no more lime on the ’dobe, and the rains washed it down.”

From "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck