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.
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
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
“My desserts lean into savory,” she said, citing ingredients like miso and goat cheese.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
For some people outside south-east Nigeria, a goat might seem like an unusual gift to mark the end of university.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The shadows of his little goat legs moved back and forth under the barn door.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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 reigning GOAT, Novak Djokovic, 24 majors to his name, hasn’t even left the premises.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026
Anointing someone the GOAT, as in “Greatest of All Time,” has been around longer, but the silly thing about both compliments is they’re getting handed out like Halloween candy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2025
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
On resale sites, the $175 jersey now fetches over $300 on the popular resale site Goat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
The kefir and fiber blend used in the trial was supplied by Chuckling Goat Ltd.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
TJ’s Chevre Goat Cheese won big in the 15th Annual Customer Choice Awards, stealing the spotlight from the previous winner, TJ’s Cheddar with Caramelized Onions.
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026
As she sits down and sulks, Volpe moves on to Edward Albee’s The Goat.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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
According to the sanctuary, the purchased plot of land had historically been used for agriculture and will enable it to rescue more goats and double its on-site capacity.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 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
He didn’t, and then one of the goats bleated.
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.
