cowboys and Indians

noun

1. a children's game in which players imitate the supposed behavior of cowboys and Indians in conflict, as in shooting, chasing, and capturing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowboys and Indians¹

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

“This county is rural — cowboys and Indians,” says McCloud, 45.

From Los Angeles Times

Another Facebook photo, published by the Examiner-Enterprise of Bartlesville, also surfaced, showing Jaquess dressed as a Native American woman at a “Cowboys and Indians” night at a church camp.

From Seattle Times

When he and his fellow Cub Scouts played Cowboys and Indians she made sure to get him books about how the Lakota tribe lived, not just Custer’s Last Stand.

From New York Times

The Western was once Hollywood’s signature genre, and “Imagining the Indian” revisits cowboys and Indians movies, television shows and cartoons in a rapid-fire introductory montage.

From Washington Post

The story captivated Mr. Evans, who had grown up playing cowboys and Indians in the English countryside and reading novels by Jack London.

From Washington Post