ranch

1 of 2

noun

ˈranch 

1

: a large farm for raising horses, beef cattle, or sheep

2

: a farm or area devoted to a particular specialty

3

: ranch house

ranch

2 of 2

verb

ranched; ranching; ranches

intransitive verb

: to live or work on a ranch

transitive verb

1

: to work as a rancher on

2

: to raise on a ranch

Synonyms

Noun

• estate
• farm
• farmstead
• grange

Examples of ranch in a Sentence

Noun

lives on a cattle ranch in Texas that's as big as the whole state of Rhode Island

Verb

My grandfather started ranching here 150 years ago.

The family has ranched 10,000 acres here for the past 150 years.

The family has been ranching cattle here for 150 years.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Harrison's character Laramie, meanwhile, is a barrel racer and ranch hand who found love with Walker in the third season, causing chaos in the bunkhouse. —Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 31 May 2024

Grammy-winning musician Bingham plays ranch hand and ex-con Walker on the series, while actor Harrison plays barrel racer Laramie. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 May 2024

Verb

Hinkson said that, historically, the city’s economy was based on agriculture, especially ranching, as well as oil and gas. —Emily Brindley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 May 2024

Regenerative agriculture means farming and ranching in a way that not only produces food from a landscape, but also sees that landscape improve ecologically, said Jason Rowntree, co-director of the Michigan State University Center for Regenerative Agriculture. —Alexa St. John, Fortune, 9 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Mexican Spanish rancho small ranch, from Spanish, camp, hut & Spanish dialect, small farm, from Old Spanish ranchearse to take up quarters, from Middle French se ranger to take up a position, from ranger to set in a row — more at range

First Known Use

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1851, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Phrases Containing ranch

• dude ranch
• raised ranch
• ranch dressing
• ranch house

Kids Definition

ranch

1 of 2 noun

ˈranch 

1

: a place for the raising of livestock (as cattle, horses, or sheep) on range

2

: a farm devoted to a specific crop or kind of animal

a fruit ranch

a mink ranch

3

: ranch house sense 2

ranch

2 of 2 verb

: to live or work on a ranch