Cowboy vs. Vaquero — What's the Difference?

A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of special significance and legend.

The vaquero (Spanish pronunciation: [baˈkeɾo], Portuguese: vaqueiro Portuguese pronunciation: [vaˈkejɾu]) is a horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and extensively developed in Mexico from a methodology brought to Latin America from Spain. The vaquero became the foundation for the North American cowboy.

(especially in the western US) a man who herds and tends cattle, performing much of his work on horseback

See cowboy.

A dishonest or careless person in business, especially an unqualified one

(Southwestern US) A cowboy; a herdsman.

Work as a cowboy.

One who has charge of cattle, horses, etc.; a herdsman; a cowboy.

A hired man, especially in the western United States, who tends cattle and performs many of his duties on horseback. Also called cowman; also called regionally buckaroo, vaquero, waddy2. See Note at buckaroo

Local names for a cowboy (`vaquero' is used especially in southwestern and central Texas and `buckaroo' is used especially in California)

An adventurous hero.

(Slang) A reckless person, such as a driver, pilot, or manager, who ignores potential risks.

A man who tends free-range cattle, especially in the American West.

A man who identifies with cowboy culture, including wearing a cowboy hat and being a fan of country and western music.

(informal) A person who engages in reckless behavior, especially for the purpose of showing off.

A dishonest and/or incompetent independent tradesman.

A playing card of king rank.

(uncountable) cowboy pool

(intransitive) To work as a cowboy, herding cattle.

A cattle herder; a drover; specifically, one of an adventurous class of herders and drovers on the plains of the Western and Southwestern United States.

One of the marauders who, in the Revolutionary War infested the neutral ground between the American and British lines, and committed depredations on the Americans.

A hired hand who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback

A performer who gives exhibitions of riding and roping and bulldogging

Someone who is reckless or irresponsible (especially in driving vehicles)