Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

poncho

/ˈpɑn.t͡ʃoʊ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.79 in modern English

Syllables: pon-cho
IPA: /ˈpɑn.t͡ʃoʊ/

13

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A simple garment, made from a rectangle of cloth, with a slit in the middle for the head.

noun

A similar waterproof garment, today typically of rubber with a hood.

Example Sentences

"Garibaldi, with his cowboy's poncho, red shirt and the black ostrich feathers in his wide hat […]"
"It was a gringo in a poncho. It was not really accurate to his suits worn today, but Julia would understand the symbolism that he was adapting to the culture and expectations while far away from home."
"[…] spreading over my bedding an indian-rubber poncho to exclude the rain."
"I […] took my seat between Juan and Ambrosio, protected from the rain by an India-rubber poncho."
"1857, Solomon Nunes Carvalho, Incidents of Travel and Adventure in the Far West, p. 48 (1857), p. 48 (1858):"
"I found it necessary while doing guard to cover myself with my India-rubber poncho, to prevent my clothes from becoming saturated with water."

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish poncho, from Quechua punchu. In sense “rubber rain poncho”, attested 1845, used for non-South American garments in the United States and England from 1850s, popularized by US Western expeditions and military from 1850s, particularly after World War II (1940s).

Word Breakdown

Root: punchu

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈpɑn.t͡ʃoʊ/
British English: /ˈpɒn.tʃəʊ/

Inflected Forms

ponchos (plural) ponchoes (plural)

Derived Forms

ponchoed

Phrases

poncho liner

Frequently Paired Words

ruana slicker

Rhymes With

honcho

Questions

How do you pronounce poncho?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɑn.t͡ʃoʊ/.
What does poncho mean?: A simple garment, made from a rectangle of cloth, with a slit in the middle for the head.
Where does poncho come from?: Borrowed from Spanish poncho, from Quechua punchu. In sense “rubber rain poncho”, attested 1845, used for non-South American garments in the United States and England from 1850s, popularized by US Western expeditions and military from 1850s, particularly after World War II (1940s).

How to pronounce poncho

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Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpɑn.t͡ʃoʊ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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