mountain goat

noun

: a ruminant mammal (Oreamnos americanus) of mountainous northwestern North America that has a thick yellowish-white coat and slightly curved horns and resembles a goat

Illustration of mountain goat

Illustration of mountain goat

Examples of mountain goat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In more footage, the Emmy-winning journalist spotted two mountain goats while on a hike — one of which approached her before leaping on the rocky mountainside. Charna Flam, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025 The species of interest included gray wolves, mountain lions, black and grizzly bears, moose, mountain goats and bighorn sheep. Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 29 July 2025 And, yes, big ole land mammals live here too: black and brown bears, moose, mountain goats, and porcupines, among other woodland creatures. Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 Visitors commonly see bison, elk, bears and other animals, including wolves, moose, mountain goats and mountain lions. Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mountain goat

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mountain goat was in 1833

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Cite this Entry

“Mountain goat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountain%20goat. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

mountain goat

noun
: a cud-chewing mammal of the mountains of western North America that has a thick yellowish white hairy coat and slightly curved black horns and closely resembles a goat

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