goat

noun

\ ˈgōt

plural goats

Definition of goat

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a 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 sense 2

GOAT

abbreviation or noun

\ ˈgōt

variants: or less commonly G.O.A.T.

plural GOATs also G.O.A.T.s

Definition of GOAT (Entry 2 of 2)

: the greatest of all time : the most accomplished and successful individual in the history of a particular sport or category of performance or activity As much fun as it is to debate who is the greatest in NBA history, it's pointless, a question for which there can be no definitive answer…. The list of players who could be considered the GOAT is long, and each one is worthy in his own right.— Nancy Armour There's no denying what Aaron Rodgers has done in his career, but to say Rodgers is the GOAT is a big statement considering what Tom Brady has accomplished. — Pro Football Weekly Former President (and arguably the GOAT of post-presidency careers) Jimmy Carter is leasing 10 acres of his Georgia peanut farm to SolAmerica to create a 1.3MW solar array.— Walter Einenkel If championships alone are the measuring stick, then Michael [Jordan] is probably going to remain the popular choice as the GOAT. But if I can go on aesthetics alone, I know I'd rather watch LeBron [James].— Bob Ryan

Other Words from goat Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about goat

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of goat in a Sentence

Noun

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 on the Web: Noun

For the past eight months, the 1,700-acre field has been fenced off to let the grass, along with 250,000 saplings, grow undisturbed by the cattle, sheep and goats that roam free in this region. — Aryn Baker / Mbar Toubab, Time, "Can a 4,815-Mile Wall of Trees Help Curb Climate Change in Africa?," 12 Sep. 2019 Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls are written on a hybrid of parchment and leather, usually based on the skins of cattle, sheep, or goats. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "The secret to miraculous preservation of a Dead Sea Scroll could be salt coating," 11 Sep. 2019 That's because animals like cattle, sheep and goats produce a lot of methane gas. — Leah Asmelash, CNN, "What you need to know about carbon footprints," 8 Sep. 2019 For example, cattle prefer to lie on wood chips while sheep and goats prefer straw. — Zekriah Chaudhry, Twin Cities, "State Fair: Getting the animals in and out like a choreographed dance," 25 Aug. 2019 Live animals: Cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, camels, rabbits, horses, whales, dolphins, foxes and reptiles. — Kelly Tyko, USA TODAY, "When new, higher tariffs are scheduled to start on Chinese imports and what may cost more," 23 Aug. 2019 The preferred alternative would allow farmers to raise pigs, chickens, sheep and goats, board horses, grow non-irrigated row crops like rye grass or oats, and make cheese in preexisting buildings in the ranch core areas. — Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, "New Point Reyes management plan riles up environmentalists — comment sought," 8 Aug. 2019 Meat, particularly from cattle, sheep, and goats, is very resource intensive. — Stephen Leahy, National Geographic, "How to feed the world without destroying the planet," 17 July 2019 There are more than two dozen resident goats at the lodge, but a little one named Rabbit has been stealing hearts. — Brittany Anas, The Know, "Stay in a former jail, drive-in theater or goat lodge when visiting Colorado’s most unique hotels," 24 June 2019

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.