any of numerous agile, hollow-horned ruminants of the genus Capra, of the family Bovidae, closely related to the sheep, found native in rocky and mountainous regions of the Old World, and widely distributed in domesticated varieties.
any of various related animals, as the Rocky Mountain goat.
Astronomy, Astrology. Goat, the constellation or sign Capricorn.
Also the goat a scapegoat or victim.
When the police came, he was left behind to be the goat.
a licentious or lecherous man; lecher.
any sure-footed agile bovid mammal of the genus Capra, naturally inhabiting rough stony ground in Europe, Asia, and N Africa, typically having a brown-grey colouring and a beard. Domesticated varieties ( C. hircus ) are reared for milk, meat, and wool
short for Rocky Mountain goat
informal a lecherous man
a bad or inferior member of any group (esp in the phrase separate the sheep from the goats )
short for scapegoat
to fool around
slang to cause annoyance to someone
First recorded before 900; Middle English got, Old English gāt; cognate with Gothic gaits, Old Norse geit, German Geiss; akin to Latin haedus “young goat, kid”
First recorded in 1965–70; originally the name of a company founded by Muhammad Ali, who applied the term greatest of all time to himself
A four-legged, rambunctious farm animal with small curved horns is a goat. Farmers raise goats for milk, wool, and meat — as well as for their skill at clearing weeds from fields. Goats aren't perfect pets because they'll nibble on just about anything, including paper, clothing, rope, outdoor furniture, and your flower garden. A well-fed goat, however, won't eat tin cans and newspaper, although they'll happily clear the poison ivy out of your yard. Goats, which are close relatives of sheep, are among the oldest domesticated animals. The Proto-Indo-European root of goat also means "to play."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Delicious food — Jamaican patties, raspberry tarts, Nigerian-style goat, salmon tamales — scented the streets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
They can go on flatbread with goat cheese, over toast, or beside good bread for dipping.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
Among the main events is kok-boru, a horseback sport where riders must gain control of a goat carcass and throw it into the opponent's goal.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
A goat herder from a remote area of western Kenya has told the BBC his discovery of a golden nugget has sparked a gold rush, overwhelming his small village over the last few weeks.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Another goat stepped in front of him and bleated, ready to be milked.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
The peloton’s ne plus ultra, the increasingly-presumed GOAT, the Slovenian once more ignited the last day by launching ferocious attacks and turning a quiet celebratory ride into glorious mayhem.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
His CV may lack a Rugby World Cup, but it continues to strengthen the debate that he is rugby's GOAT.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
Debuting in second place at $32 million in the United States was Sony family-friendly animated flick "GOAT," produced by NBA Superstar Stephen Curry, about an under-sized goat who wants to join a basketball-like "roarball" team.
From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026
The "GOAT Collection" included a rare Rolex Daytona Paul Newman "John Player Special" watch from 1969 that went for $1.1 million.
From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024
GOAT, a sign of enemies, and of misfortune to a sailor.
From Tea-Cup Reading and Fortune-Telling by Tea Leaves, by a Highland Seer by
To see the converging waters and feel the roaring wind, you can drive to Goat Rock Road and Goat Rock Beach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
“People said, ‘Oh, wow, $100 hot dog,’ ” said Keith Glickman, managing partner of Golden Goat Caviar, the company behind the Golden Glizzy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
"It is known as the picture that broke the internet. It was a commercial masterstroke," said Melanie Ropp, from social media marketing company the Goat Agency.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
The kefir and fiber blend used in the trial was supplied by Chuckling Goat Ltd.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
I don’t know exactly when things switched over to the Chinese calendar—Year of the Dog, Year of the Goat, the Dragon, and so on.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
They recovered 233 dogs, 66 cats, one goose, one parrot, one pig, one rabbit and two goats; all are being kept in county facilities as evidence in the case against De Anda.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
When he was 16, he said he left home in a West Bank settlement and hiked into the hills with goats and little else.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
“The house was small, so we built onto it to add a kitchen. We use the barns as a sanctuary for rescued horses, ducks, chickens, peacocks, goats, and other animals,” she went on.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Please don’t expect me to laugh at the goats from goat yoga rampaging through a hotel lobby or a high-speed golf cart chase.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
“It is the same all the way through. Charming descriptions of mountain goats and ibexes! Blooming edelweiss and cute babies! This is not poetry. Where is the suffering? The torment? The thwarted dreams?”
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
