1 : one who tends cattle or horses; especially : a usually mounted cattle-ranch hand
2 : a rodeo performer
3. A hired man, especially in the western United States, who tends cattle and performs many of his duties on horseback. Also called cowman, cowpoke, cowpuncher, also called regionally buckaroo, vaquero, waddy.
4. An adventurous hero.
a cowboy is man with guts and a horse
