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cow·boy

(kouboi′)

1. 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

2. An adventurous hero.

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

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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