Meaning
A person dressed like an experienced cowboy without having the experience, or a fashionable young loafer who lingers in public places. Dated and disparaging. It can criticize either false Western authenticity or idle, showy loitering; context should make the intended sense clear. Regional use: American English.
Origin
The American slang compound arose in the early 20th century, when a drugstore and its soda fountain could serve as a conspicuous social meeting place. Dictionaries preserve two linked targets: the imitation Westerner whose clothes outrun his ranch experience, and the idle young man who loiters in or near drugstores. Dating varies by lexicographical evidence: Collins places the word in 1905-10, while Merriam-Webster's first-known use is 1923. The 1989 film title reused an established expression and did not originate it.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- Drugstore cowpuncher
Usage Examples
- With spotless boots and no idea how to saddle a horse, he looked like a drugstore cowboy.
- The detective found the drugstore cowboys leaning beside the soda counter every afternoon.
- Locals dismissed the visiting promoter as a drugstore cowboy in an oversized hat.