rodeo
Americannoun
plural
rodeos-
a public exhibition of cowboy skills, as bronco riding and calf roping.
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a roundup of cattle.
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Informal. any contest offering prizes in various events.
a bicycle rodeo for kids under twelve.
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(initial capital letter, italics) a ballet (1942) choreographed by Agnes de Mille, with musical score by Aaron Copland.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a display of the skills of cowboys, including bareback riding, steer wrangling, etc
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the rounding up of cattle for branding, counting, inspection, etc
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an enclosure for cattle that have been rounded up
Other Word Forms
- rodeoer noun
Etymology
Origin of rodeo
1825–35; < Spanish: cattle ring, derivative of rodear to go round, itself derivative of rueda wheel < Latin rota
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bull-riding, still a staple on the U.S. rodeo circuit, originated in the vibrant vaquero tradition of charreadas — contests showcasing participants’ skills with horses, ropes and livestock.
From Los Angeles Times
Our horses, our ranches, our rodeos—the entire romance of the cowboy archetype . . . these were born in Spain.”
This, though, is far from her first rodeo.
From BBC
When the rodeo comes to town, the bank puts out bales of hay and a saddle to celebrate.
“As soon as I was at the rodeo with them, I became obsessed with the performance of masculinity.”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
