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.
Carapaz, who rides for Vaughters’s EF team, again proved his mettle as a veteran mountain goat, taking a pair of wins including a reprise of Alpe d’Huez on Saturday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
"I think some customers won't be surprised there's a lot of skin and fat in these products - but I don't think many people will be expecting goat," said Swansea trading standards officer Rhys Harries.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
Those include pile burn and goat grazing projects in the Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel Valley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
The foods are extreme and run the gamut, from silkworm pupa to a whole goat head.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
The goat seemed surprised to see visitors this late, but she relaxed at Rupa’s familiar touch.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
LeBron James’ performance against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs should put to rest the discussion of whether LeBron or Michael Jordan is the NBA’s GOAT.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 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
"GOAT" moved ahead of steamy literary adaptation "Wuthering Heights," which earned $14.2 million in its second week of release, according to Exhibitor Relations.
From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 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
When researchers compared the genomes of these ancient animals with modern breeds, they found the closest genetic match was the critically endangered Old Irish Goat still surviving today.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 26, 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
“You, Mountain Goat, can put together a rock collection the likes of which has never been seen,” Dad told me.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
The goats are currently grazing separately from the existing cattle herd, but Hartford-Fox said he hoped to graze them together on certain sites once introductions were made.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
They take the olive groves and the goats and the summer houses, and they take the makeshift shelters and the fragile new footing of people who had already lost everything once.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Mum-of-one Victoria believes she was bitten when she was at her brother-in-law's home as he has goats that can attract ticks.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
He was convinced that keeping more herds of goats and sheep in the mountains "would really help a lot" in controlling wildfires.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
I tell him about the vegetable gardens, the orchards, the greenhouse, pigs, chickens, sheep, and goats.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
