ranch

American  

[ranch] / ræntʃ /

noun

1. an establishment maintained for raising livestock under range conditions.

2. Chiefly Western U.S. and Canada. a large farm used primarily to raise one kind of crop or animal.

   a mink ranch.

3. a dude ranch.

4. the persons employed or living on a ranch.

5. ranch house.

6. ranch dressing.

   I’ll have the small salad, with ranch on the side.

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verb (used without object)

1. to manage or work on a ranch.

ranch British  

/ rɑːntʃ /

noun

1. a large tract of land, esp one in North America, together with the necessary personnel, buildings, and equipment, for rearing livestock, esp cattle

2. 1. any large farm for the rearing of a particular kind of livestock or crop

      a mink ranch

   2. the buildings, land, etc, connected with it

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verb

1. (intr) to manage or run a ranch

2. (tr) to raise (animals) on or as if on a ranch

Other Word Forms

• ranchless
  adjective
• ranchlike
  adjective
• unranched
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ranch

An Americanism dating from 1800–10; from Spanish rancho “farm, cattle farm, ranch”; see origin at rancho

Explanation

A ranch is a large farm that raises animals, generally grazing animals like cows or sheep. If you dream of raising big, strange-looking birds, you could decide to have an emu or an ostrich ranch instead. Ranches raise animals for meat, and in the case of sheep or alpacas, for wool. When you work on a ranch, you can say that you ranch. A ranch is also a type of single-story, simple house architecturally influenced by the western, informal style of working ranches, which first appeared in the 1950s in the Western US. Ranch comes from the Spanish rancho, first "group of people who eat together" and later "group of farm huts."

Example Sentences

Bosworth, 44, was raised on his family’s horse ranch in Saratoga, Calif., a wealthy enclave in Silicon Valley, and grew up heavily involved in agriculture and the state’s 4-H youth program.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

On a recent weekday, the calf ranch and dairy farm were visible from a public road.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

In 1989, Turner bought the 113,613-acre Flying D Ranch in Montana for around $21 million—an unheard of price for a ranch at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

When Taylor Sheridan first conceived of the hit TV series “Yellowstone,” he was inspired by his own family’s story of losing a ranch.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

He wished he might continue walking and never arrive at the ranch.

From "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• dairy farm
• estate
• homestead
• land
• plantation