rodeo

[ roh-dee-oh, roh-dey-oh ]

noun

, plural ro·de·os.

1. a public exhibition of cowboy skills, as bronco riding and calf roping.
2. a roundup of cattle.
3. Informal. any contest offering prizes in various events:

   a bicycle rodeo for kids under twelve.

4. (initial capital letter, italics) a ballet (1942) choreographed by Agnes de Mille, with musical score by Aaron Copland.

verb (used without object)

, ro·de·oed, ro·de·o·ing.

1. to participate or compete in a rodeo or rodeos:

   He's been rodeoing since he was twelve.

rodeo

/ ˈrəʊdɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. a display of the skills of cowboys, including bareback riding, steer wrangling, etc
2. the rounding up of cattle for branding, counting, inspection, etc
3. an enclosure for cattle that have been rounded up

Other Words From

• rode·oer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rodeo¹

1825–35; < Spanish: cattle ring, derivative of rodear to go round, itself derivative of rueda wheel < Latin rota

Word History and Origins

Origin of rodeo¹

C19: from Spanish, from rodear to go around, from rueda a wheel, from Latin rota

Example Sentences

Tornado 4 wreaks havoc on a rodeo and sends a horse trailer flying through the air ... real or CG?

From Los Angeles Times

It is the seat of Hood County, where rodeos and “cowboy tourism” are popular and preachers conflate Bible parables and politics.

From Los Angeles Times

He went to a rodeo one day, and one of the biggest stars in the country at the time, Tom Mix, was there, and he was like, “Those boots. Where’d you get those boots?”

From Los Angeles Times

The dissolution of a marriage is not an easy or happy affair, and this is not her first, second or third rodeo.

From Los Angeles Times

Unlike Tulsa, L.A. is typically one of the last places people might assume any rodeo culture exists, let alone a Black rodeo.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• festival