cowboy B1 Topic:People & Society Also spelled cow-boy US /ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ/ UK /ˈkaʊbɔɪ/ See IPA manual Freq #4118 Meanings 1 noun a person who tends cattle, especially on horseback The cowboy guided the herd toward fresh water. 2 noun a reckless person who ignores rules or safety The company dismissed the cowboy driver after repeated violations. 3 noun an incompetent or dishonest independent tradesperson They hired a cowboy builder who left the roof unfinished. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a person who tends cattle,... cowhandcowherd 2 noun · a reckless person who... daredevilmaverick 3 noun · an incompetent or dishonest... rogue trader More rancher Word family Derived forms cowboy-hattedcowboyishcowboyismcowboyitiscowboylikecowpunkcybercowboyglowboynoncowboy Related forms buckaroocattlemancowherdcowmanvaquero Appears in Phrases (1) See all cowboy hat a broad-brimmed hat with a soft crown associated with ranch workers Noun + noun Etymology PIE word *gʷṓws From cow + boy. More on Wikipedia. Topics People & Society External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # cowboy **Type:** Word **Level:** B1 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈkaʊbɔɪ/ **Frequency rank:** 4118 ## Meanings 1. a person who tends cattle, especially on horseback 2. a reckless person who ignores rules or safety 3. an incompetent or dishonest independent tradesperson ## Examples - The cowboy guided the herd toward fresh water. - The company dismissed the cowboy driver after repeated violations. - They hired a cowboy builder who left the roof unfinished. ## Synonyms - cowhand - cowherd - rancher ## Derived Forms - cowboy-hatted - cowboyish - cowboyism - cowboyitis - cowboylike - cowpunk - cybercowboy - glowboy - noncowboy ## Related Forms - buckaroo - cattleman - cowherd - cowman - vaquero ## Etymology PIE word *gʷṓws From cow + boy. More on Wikipedia. ## Topics - People & Society markdown