[pon-choh] 
| a blanketlike cloak with a hole in the center to admit the head, originating in South America, now often worn as a raincoat. |
| pon·cho (pŏn'chō) n. pl. pon·chos
[American Spanish, from Spanish, cape, perhaps variant of pocho, faded, discolored.] |
poncho
cloak worn by men or women, made of a square or rectangle of cloth with a hole in the middle through which the wearer's head protrudes. The original poncho, consisting of a rough, brightly coloured, handloomed woolen cloth, was worn by Latin-American Indians. Ponchos are worn with the edges hanging either parallel or diagonally, forming a diamond shape. They became fashionable in the second half of the 20th century. The poncho can also be a similarly designed garment made of a waterproof material, often hooded, worn chiefly as a raincoat.
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