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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
To Rival Gold Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Harris Leads In Latest Survey—As Polls Tighten Week Before Election Day Google Makes A Special Offer To Pixel Customers The setting for the series, a picturesque rustic ranch in Utah, provides for a festive atmosphere for the competition. Anne Easton, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Additionally, ranch and waterfront properties reigned supreme across the country, from a stately stone mansion that presides over 350 wooded acres on the pristine shore of Vermont’s Lake Champlain to a 3,500-acre ranch on Maui in Hawaii. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
Missouri — Plato Ranch, $33.5 Million Photo : Getty Images Currently listed for $33.5 million, this 7,200-acre ranch in Plato is primed for starting your ranching legacy. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024 My grandmother’s side of the family has like four or five generations coming from there, ranching. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 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 5 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

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