Definition

Noun: 1. A man, a fellow: An informal, often regional (especially Southwestern U.S. and Spanish-influenced) term for a man or guy. It can imply toughness or a straightforward character. 2. A person, an individual: Used to refer to a person in a general sense, often with a connotation of their character or role.

Usage Examples

• Noun (referring to a man):
  • He's a tough hombre who doesn't back down from a challenge.
  • I met a friendly hombre at the ranch who showed me how to rope a steer.
• Noun (referring to a person/individual):
  • If you need help fixing your car, he's the hombre to see.
  • You don't want to mess with that hombre.

Advanced Usage

• "Big hombre": Can refer to an important, influential, or physically large man.
  • He's the big hombre in this town; everyone listens to him.
• "Bad hombre": A phrase popularized in political discourse, used to describe a dangerous or criminal man.
  • The sheriff vowed to rid the county of those bad hombres.

Variants and Related Words

• Hombre is a direct loanword from Spanish, where it means "man." Its usage in English retains the Spanish spelling and masculine connotation.

Synonyms

• Guy: A very common informal synonym.
• Fellow: A slightly old-fashioned but still understood term.
• Dude: A common informal synonym, especially in casual American English.
• Chap: A chiefly British informal term.

Related Idioms

• "He's your hombre": Used to indicate that a specific person is the right or responsible one for a task or situation.
  • Don't ask me about the budget; for finances, he's your hombre.

Noun

1. an informal term for a youth or man
   • a nice guy
   • the guy's only doing it for some doll