Plural form of desperado; plural of a reckless or dangerous person, especially a criminal or outlaw.
From Spanish desperado (one who has lost hope), from Latin desperatus. The -oes ending is a Spanish-influenced plural in English.
Wild West literature popularized 'desperado' to describe outlaws like Billy the Kid—the word perfectly captures both the danger and the desperation of frontier criminals.
Desperado (from Spanish 'desesperado') historically referred to outlaws and criminals, often depicted as male. Female desperados were erased from outlaw narratives; when women outlaws appeared in media, they were often sexualized or masculinized.
Use 'desperado' or 'desperadoes' as gender-neutral terms for outlaws. If discussing historical outlaws, acknowledge women's participation was erased or minimized.
["outlaw","fugitive","desperado/desperadoes (use gender-neutral)"]
Women outlaws like Belle Starr, Pearl Hart, and Jesse James's female associates were erased from history; modern usage should recognize all genders in outlaw narratives.
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