goat

noun \ ˈgōt \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of goat

plural goats

1 a or plural goat : any of various hollow-horned ruminant mammals (especially of the genus Capra) related to the sheep but of lighter build and with backwardly arching horns, a short tail, and usually straight hair; especially : one (Capra hircus) long domesticated for its milk, wool, and flesh

b capitalized : capricorn

2 : a licentious man : lecher

3 : scapegoat 2

—

goatish

play \ˈgō-tish\ adjective

—

goatlike

play \ˈgōt-ˌlīk\ adjective

See goat defined for English-language learners

See goat defined for kids

Examples of goat in a Sentence

In the last inning, a home run can make you the hero, and a strikeout can make you the goat.
an unhappy childhood was the goat he used to rationalize every failure and shortcoming

Recent Examples of goat from the Web

So this month is a good time to honor your fellow sea-goat by tuning into Starz’s new adaptation of his 1910 masterpiece Howards End (April 8).

— mary sollosi, EW.com, "Find out your pop culture horoscope for April," 12 Apr. 2018
Even if Democrats fail to reclaim the gavel in 2018, Ryan, like his predecessor John Boehner, knows that the task of herding House Republicans is only going to get more difficult, and has ceded responsibility for that goat rodeo to someone else.

— jay willis, GQ, "Paul Ryan Pulled Into Retirement By His Own Bootstraps," 11 Apr. 2018
No one ever does that, except everyone who has to visit the goat rodeo that is a Congressional hearing.

— kara swisher, Recode, "Mr. Zuckerberg goes to Washington — so let’s stop acting like he can’t handle it. He can.," 10 Apr. 2018
The goat rescue happened Tuesday on the Mahoning River Bridge in western Pennsylvania.

— aj willingham, CNN, "Two goats make a huge mistake, get stranded on bridge," 6 Apr. 2018
This lens cleaner features a goat hair brush on one side and a tip with a clear carbon formula on the other.

— alexandria haslam, PCWorld, "This lens cleaner keeps your camera spotless for under $5," 29 Mar. 2018
From New Orleans goat to Philadelphia G.O.A.T. In a city known for mental anguish from fans, Robinson has turned into a beloved figure in Philadelphia.

— larry holder, NOLA.com, "From goat to G.O.A.T., Patrick Robinson returns to Saints a changed player," 14 Mar. 2018
At the recent San Antonio Livestock Show, Madison Smith showed her goat in Division II and did a great job at showing.

— community report, Houston Chronicle, "Shepherd FFA students fare well at competitions," 19 Feb. 2018
But in the storm’s aftermath, local pit bulls killed off many of his goats, sheep and turkeys.

— anthony faiola, Washington Post, "In Barbuda, islanders fear their cherished lifestyle may be lost forever," 16 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'goat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.