goat

¹ American  

[goht] / goʊt /

noun

1. 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.

2. any of various related animals, as the Rocky Mountain goat.

3. Astronomy, Astrology. Goat, the constellation or sign Capricorn.

4. Also the goat a scapegoat or victim.

   When the police came, he was left behind to be the goat.

5. a licentious or lecherous man; lecher.

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idioms

1. get someone's goat, to anger, annoy, or frustrate a person.

   His arrogance gets my goat.

GOAT ² American  

[goht, jee-oh-ey-tee] / goʊt, ˈdʒiˈoʊˈeɪˈti /

Also the GOAT or G.O.A.T.

noun

Informal.

1. greatest of all time: (used to describe or refer to a person or thing that is considered to be the best ever in a particular field, category, etc., especially in sports).

   If he hadn’t been injured, he would have been the GOAT, but he’s still a top 5 player.

   That film is indisputably GOAT—I watch it at least once a year.

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goat ¹ British  

/ ɡəʊt /

noun

1. 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

2. short for Rocky Mountain goat

3. informal a lecherous man

4. a bad or inferior member of any group (esp in the phrase separate the sheep from the goats )

5. short for scapegoat

6. to fool around

7. slang to cause annoyance to someone

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Goat ² British  

/ ɡəʊt /

noun

1. the constellation Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac

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goat More Idioms  

1. see get someone's goat; separate the sheep from the goats.

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Other Word Forms

• goatlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of goat¹

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”

Origin of GOAT²

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

Example Sentences

In 2024, the graffiti artist created an animal trail around the capital with pieces featuring a goat, elephants, a gorilla, monkeys, piranhas, a rhino and pelicans among other animals.

From BBC

"I got to run across Sydney Harbour Bridge with the Opera House in view and I even saved a goat from being stuck in a fence."

From BBC

From classic corn, cheddar, and bacon, to autumnal butternut squash with sage, to a “farmers market” mix of roasted vegetables, goat cheese, and onion jam, each muffin can be its own little experiment.

From Salon

Of course, you can say that about most white-collar jobs, but most corporate offices lack a hidden floor staffed by goats and their keepers, a Lumon department known as Mammalians Nurturable.

From Salon

There’s tang: a gorgeous goat cheese or a Vermont Invierno, all bright edges and creamy center.

From Salon