goat
[ goht ]
/ goʊt /
noun
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.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy, Astrology. the constellation or sign Capricorn.
a scapegoat or victim.
a licentious or lecherous man; lecher.
Nearby words
goalpost, goaltender, goaltending, goalwards, goanna, goat, goat antelope, goat cheese, goat god, goat island, goat moth
Idioms
get one's goat, Informal. to anger, annoy, or frustrate a person: His arrogance gets my goat.
Origin of goat
before 900; Middle English got, Old English gāt; cognate with German Geiss
Related formsgoat·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for goat
British Dictionary definitions for goat (1 of 2)
goat
/ (ɡəʊt) /
noun
Derived Formsgoatlike, adjective
Word Origin for goat
Old English gāt; related to Old Norse geit, Old High German geiz, Latin haedus kid
British Dictionary definitions for goat (2 of 2)
Goat
/ (ɡəʊt) /
noun
the Goat the constellation Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for goat
goat
Old English gat "she-goat," from Proto-Germanic *gaitaz (cf. Old Saxon get, Old Norse geit, Danish gjed, Middle Dutch gheet, Dutch geit, Old High German geiz, German Geiß, Gothic gaits "goat"), from PIE *ghaidos "young goat," also "play" (cf. Latin hædus "kid").
The word for "male goat" in Old English was bucca (see buck (n.)) until late 1300s shift to he-goat, she-goat (Nanny goat is 18c., billy goat 19c.). Meaning "licentious man" is attested from 1670s. To get (someone's) goat is from 1910, perhaps with notion of "to steal a goat mascot from a racehorse," or from French prendre sa chèvre "take one's source of milk."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with goat
goat
see get someone's goat; separate the sheep from the goats.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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