rancho

American  

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

noun

ranchos plural

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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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• ranchos
  plural

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”; see range

Example Sentences

She died from metastatic cancer at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, on Wednesday surrounded by loved ones, according to her family.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Rancho San Antonio is a “multi-service non-profit organization that provides both traditional and non-traditional trauma-informed therapeutic services to youth and families,” according to its website.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

A Child and Family Services spokeswoman said the agency does not currently have any foster children at Rancho San Antonio and did not believe any youth in its care were impacted.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Rancho San Antonio is home to a “Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program,” in which youths who have completed their time in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

I had heard of Mexico City but not of Oaxaca and I wondered if those places were like El Rancho Blanco or Guadalajara.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez