ranch

1 of 2

noun

1
: a large farm for raising horses, beef cattle, or sheep
2
: a farm or area devoted to a particular specialty
3

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
With some help from George, the Native American ranch hand who works for Natty (played by Ben Cardinal), and their mother’s old horse Lightning, the twin girls quickly piece together that the ranch’s financial failings may have more to do with Bart’s meddling than with Natty’s business model. Sara Belcher, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024 The ranches and dairies of the Point Reyes Seashore Ranchers Association intervened in the suit. Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
The agency said the park’s enabling act prohibits it from authorizing housing for members of the public uncoupled to ranching. Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024 Fischer has deep roots in greater Nebraska, coming from a ranching background in Valentine, a town that hugs the state's northern boarder. Maya Marchel Hoff, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ranch 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ranch was in 1831

Dictionary Entries Near ranch

Cite this Entry

“Ranch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ranch. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ranch

1 of 2 noun
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

2 of 2 verb
: to live or work on a ranch

More from Merriam-Webster on ranch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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