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.
It’s the kind of dish that could convert someone skeptical about goat.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
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
A goat sanctuary in Kent has purchased an additional 16.9 acres of land, which it said would enable it to house up to 160 goats.
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
If you must, think of ibexes instead, a fierce and agile type of goat with great spiraling horns.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
In case you’re wondering, 20 years after his proclamation of Sondheimer as the GOAT, Suppan stands by his statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
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 Patriots Super Bowl reset comes with a new quarterback sensation, fresh on the heels of the GOAT.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
"Yes, and somting better still—not only a place, but a uniform: yes, Gaptain Stobbs, a RED GOAT."
From The Fatal Boots by William Makepeace Thackeray
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
“People said, ‘Oh, wow, $100 hot dog,’ ” said Keith Glickman, managing partner of Golden Goat Caviar, the company behind the Golden Glizzy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The print was discovered inside a 1980 copy of Hockney's Paper Pools, which had been donated over the counter to the Salvation Army shop in Goat Lane, Norwich, a year ago.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
A new scientific study has found that the Old Irish Goat shares a genetic connection with goats that lived in Ireland about 3,000 years ago during the Late Bronze Age.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 26, 2026
“Well, I haven’t been talking to the Goat Man about getting Prim’s goat pregnant, because someone gave me completely inaccurate information as to where he lives,” I say to Prim emphatically.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
They recovered 233 dogs, 66 cats, one goose, one parrot, one pig, one rabbit and two goats; all are being kept in county facilities as evidence in the case against De Anda.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
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
These include Cantal, Bleu d'Auvergne, Fourme d'Ambert, Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage, Reblochon and the goats cheese Rocamadour.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
She let herself cry about Papa only in front of the goats, because they didn’t try to comfort her or tell her it was okay or offer her false hope about his safe return.
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.
