human
I'm interested in learning more about the etymology of the word “cowboy.” Can you tell me how it came to be used to describe someone from the West?
assistant
Cowboy is a term that originated in the American Old West. It was originally used as a derogatory term for a person who lived in the western United States and engaged in cattle ranching or other agricultural pursuits. The term cowboy was derived from the Spanish vaquero, which means "cow herder."