gauchos

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Skilled cattle herders on horseback who traditionally worked the open grasslands of Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil.

   Grammar: Plural of gaucho: the gauchos ride out at dawn; one gaucho rides out.

   Patterns

   • gauchos of the pampas

   The gauchos rounded up the cattle before sunset.

   Gauchos are famous for their horsemanship and wide-brimmed hats.

   Stories of the gauchos shaped Argentine folklore.

2. 2nounpluralinformal

   Loose, wide-legged calf-length trousers or similar pants, named after the herders' traditional clothing.

   Grammar: Like trousers, gauchos is plural: these gauchos are comfortable.

   Patterns

   • wear gauchos

   She wore black gauchos with sandals in the summer heat.

   The shop sells linen gauchos in several colors.

   Gauchos were fashionable when my mother was young.

Word forms

Common combinations

gauchos on horseback

We watched gauchos on horseback drive the herd across the plain.

Argentine gauchos

Argentine gauchos have long been symbols of freedom.

gauchos of the pampas

The gauchos of the pampas lived outdoors for weeks.

cropped gauchos

She paired cropped gauchos with a loose blouse.

Synonyms and how they differ

cowboys

Cowboys work cattle in North America, while gauchos belong to the South American grasslands and have their own traditions and dress.

herders

Herders is a general word for people who tend animals and says nothing about horses, region or culture.

vaqueros

Vaqueros are the Spanish-speaking cattle workers of Mexico and the southwestern United States, so the word points to a different region.

Word family

gaucho noun

a single cattle herder of the South American plains

pampas noun

the grassy plains where gauchos traditionally worked

gauchesco adjective

relating to gaucho culture, especially literature

Commonly confused: gauchos or cowboys?

Practice

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