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.
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
Sony's family-friendly animated film "GOAT" -- the story of an undersized goat who wants to join a basketball-like "roarball" team -- finished in fourth place at $6.6 million.
From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026
Corby has molded Stolz with the sort of grueling, high-volume strength and endurance efforts that sculpted skating legends like the GOAT, Eric Heiden.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
A week after signing a $52-million option for next season, LeBron James still owns the acronym of GOAT, only the descriptor has changed slightly: Greediest Of All Time.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2025
GOAT, T. H. E., the one who purchased this book.
From Who Was Who: 5000 BC - 1914 Biographical Dictionary of the Famous and Those Who Wanted to Be by Gordon, Irwin Leslie
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.
