English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
Login Flashcards
noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

goat

goht
Quiz me More like this

Goat (noun) means a horned, bearded farm animal related to sheep, often kept for milk, meat, or wool. Example: “Our neighbour keeps two goats and makes cheese from their milk.”

noun
1
A horned, bearded farm animal related to sheep, often kept for milk, meat, or wool.
"Our neighbour keeps two goats and makes cheese from their milk."
"A young goat escaped from the field and wandered down the lane."
"The goats grazed on the hillside behind the farmhouse."
2
Informal: someone blamed for a failure, especially in sport (a "scapegoat").
"After the team lost the final, the goalkeeper felt like the goat of the whole season."
"Nobody wants to be the goat when a good team has a bad day."
"The missed penalty made him the goat of the match."
3
Slang abbreviation of "Greatest Of All Time."
"Fans argued online about who the real goat of tennis was."
"My dad insists that his favourite singer is the goat."
"Many fans call him the goat of basketball."

How to use goat

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe farm animal, or (in modern slang) an abbreviation for "Greatest Of All Time," or someone unfairly blamed for a loss.

Common mistake

Context matters a lot here — "the goat" in a sports headline usually means "greatest of all time" (a compliment), while "made the goat" (verb sense) means blamed for a failure.

Common pairings
scapegoat GOAT status herd of goats
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like goat.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice

Word forms

Plural
goats
Third person singular
goats
Past tense
goated
Test yourself on “goat” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Our neighbour keeps two _____ and makes cheese from their milk.

Etymology

From Old English gat, an ancient Germanic word for the animal; the "lecherous man" sense comes from the old expression "horny as a goat."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

View more →
scapegoat fall guy whipping boy billy goat nanny goat kid Capricorn butt laughingstock stooge

Related words

can girl hit child behind march boy ass

Rhymes for goat

oat boat coat moat float bloat gloat groat throat afloat tugboat rowboat
See all rhymes for goat →

Frequently asked questions

What does “goat” mean?
The word “goat” means a horned, bearded farm animal related to sheep, often kept for milk, meat, or wool. In plain terms, the farm animal, or (in modern slang) an abbreviation for "Greatest Of All Time," or someone unfairly blamed for a loss.
How do you pronounce “goat”?
“Goat” is pronounced goht (/ɡoʊt/ in IPA).
How do you use “goat” in a sentence?
Here is “goat” used in a sentence: “The goats grazed on the hillside behind the farmhouse.”
What part of speech is “goat”?
“Goat” is a noun.
Where does the word “goat” come from?
The word “goat” comes from Old English. From Old English gat, an ancient Germanic word for the animal; the "lecherous man" sense comes from the old expression "horny as a goat.".
Is “goat” a common word?
“Goat” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “goat” have?
“Goat” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a horned, bearded farm animal related to sheep, often kept for milk, meat, or wool.
Can goat also mean the worst player?
Yes. In older, informal sports usage, the goat is the player blamed for a failure or defeat, a shortening of scapegoat. Context and capitalization matter: being "the goat" of a game is an insult, while being "the GOAT" is the highest compliment.
What is the difference between a goat and a sheep?
Goats and sheep are closely related farm animals kept for milk, meat, and wool. Goats typically have beards and upright tails and prefer browsing on shrubs and leaves, while sheep are grazers with dense woolly coats and tails that hang down.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include goat:

Words that start with G

People also searched

can girl hit child behind march boy ass