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.
The foods are extreme and run the gamut, from silkworm pupa to a whole goat head.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
Of those five cases, I believe we have three in cattle, one in a goat, and one in a dog.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Another goat company, Blue Tent Farms, has also seen demand rise in its home state of California.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
What about Novak Djokovic, that wily old goat rattling around the bracket, 24 majors to his name?
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
The goat ran off and made her way out the open door, bleating happily the whole way.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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
The reigning GOAT, Novak Djokovic, 24 majors to his name, hasn’t even left the premises.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 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
Iron Man Cal, like the runner-up trained by Phil D’Amato, was third, with The Goat fourth and pacesetting Mirahmadi fading to last.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
An Ayrshire man has said he is lucky to be alive after falling more than 1,500ft off Goat Fell mountain on Arran - and then running for miles to find help.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
The kefir and fiber blend used in the trial was supplied by Chuckling Goat Ltd.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
For sides, Garten suggests her Leek and Artichoke Bread Pudding and Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes, which can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days, then baked before Thanksgiving day.
From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2025
But how was she to get Goat to go away long enough for her to deal with Goat’s children?
From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith
It is a place out of time, reached by a rocky road between arid hills and the sea where you have to dodge stray cows, goats and wild horses.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
He has been herding goats since he was 10 and says the summer months have felt hotter every year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Marine mammals have also been affected, with some detections in other animals such as cats, goats, alpacas and pigs.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
"He's the goat already. One of the goats already, because we have many in this sport. He's going to join that list without any doubt," he said.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
“Come help me put the goats up, Annushka!”
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
