Definition, synonyms and related words
A simple hut, as of posts, covered with branches or thatch, where herdsmen or farm workers may lodge at night.
"The weary herdsmen gathered around the small rancho made of sticks and dried grass to spend the night under the stars."
In plain English: A rancho is an old-fashioned word for a ranch, which is a large farm where people raise cattle and other livestock.
"They spent their summer vacation at a sunny rancho in Mexico where they rode horses and swam in the lake."
Usage: Use "rancho" to refer specifically to the temporary shelter used by herders and farm laborers in rural settings rather than a permanent house. This term is often confused with "ranch," which denotes the large estate itself, not just the worker's lodging structure.
The word rancho comes from Spanish, where it originally meant a mess or mess hall. It entered English with this specific meaning before evolving to refer to the large farms associated with its related term, ranch.