Rough Riders

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

The 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, military unit in the Spanish-American War.

Register: dated, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “Rough Riders” mean?

The 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, military unit in the Spanish-American War.

Is “Rough Riders” formal or informal?

Rough Riders is generally dated, slang.