ranch English · revision 13320

− It is from American Spanish rancho, a small farm, group of farm huts,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Spanish rancho, earlier a mess-room, a group of people who eat together,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) from ranchar, ranchear, to lodge or station, from Old French ranger, to put in position, from rang, a row, line (see [[rank]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) of Germanic origin.^(Etymonline) The earlier form in English was rancheria (about 1600).^(Etymonline)