What does "rancho" mean?

A simple hut, such as one with posts, covered with branches or thatch, where herdsmen or farm workers would lodge at night.

What is a synonym for "rancho"?

Common synonyms include: barnyard, collective farm, croft, demesne, dude ranch, estate.

Pronounced //ˈɹɑːnt͡ʃoʊ//.

//ˈɹɑːnt͡ʃoʊ// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A simple hut, such as one with posts, covered with branches or thatch, where herdsmen or farm workers would lodge at night. US, archaic, regional
2
A large grazing farm where horses and cattle are raised; distinguished from hacienda, a cultivated farm or plantation. US, archaic, regional
"The nearest house, they told us, was a rancho, or cattle-farm, about three miles off."

"The nearest house, they told us, was a rancho, or cattle-farm, about three miles off."

Borrowed from Spanish rancho (“mess, mess room”). Compare ranch.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.