goat

1 of 2

noun

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
goatish adjective
goatlike adjective

GOAT

2 of 2

abbreviation or noun

variants or less commonly G.O.A.T.
plural GOATs also G.O.A.T.s
: 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

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
Living in Keller, Nguyen does not raise her own goats. Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2024 As of now, there have been cattle cases found in five states, while a cluster of cases was detected in goats on a Minnesota farm earlier in the month. Ed Cara / Gizmodo, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024 This marks the first time the bird flu has been found in dairy cattle, the American Veterinary Medical Association said, and the findings came just days after the virus was detected in goats on a Minnesota farm. Li Cohen, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024 These cases came just days after goats on a farm in Minnesota tested positive for the virus, though Miller noted the cases did not appear to be spreading rapidly and that the cases in cattle were relatively isolated. Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 1 Apr. 2024 Working cattle farm, see cattle, goats, a donkey, a horse, and a pig! Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 13 Apr. 2024 Say hello to the adorable alpacas and angora goats at Apple Hill Farm. Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024 The Kansas City Fire Department was called to the bridge at E. 63rd Street and Lewis Road near Swope Park Monday afternoon after someone reported a goat being stuck under the bridge. Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2024 The announcement comes after Minnesota officials reported the first infection of avian flu among livestock in the United States last week, when a juvenile goat living on a farm with infected poultry tested positive. Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Abbreviation or noun
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Staley’s decision to call Clark a GOAT seems pointed, especially after some fans believed the South Carolina coach questioned Clark’s GOAT status in a previous interview. Sam Reed, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024 On Tuesday, Prime Video unveiled the trailer for its upcoming series The GOAT, which features some of the biggest names from The Bachelor, Love Is Blind, Big Brother and Real Housewives vying for reality TV supremacy and a $200,000 prize. Sabienna Bowman, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024 The Italian fashion label has continued its partnership with Roc Nation to deliver an all-new collection of luxury apparel and accessories, designed by rap GOAT Jay-Z. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2024 Has everyone forgotten about Goldilocks, the GOAT centrist? Isaiah Freeman-Schub, Robb Report, 18 Jan. 2024 For his part, Taylor — who played his entire career for the Giants from 1981-1993 — couldn’t believe that given his GOAT status, Brady remains the league’s leader for most sacks ever with 565. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 6 Dec. 2023 The model comes in various materials and colorways, but the GOAT opted for a titanium case and a black rubber strap. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2023 No one disputes Serena Williams’ GOAT status and no one maligns women’s tennis as less than the men’s. Melissah Yang, refinery29.com, 3 Oct. 2023 Simone Biles is continuing to dominate in gymnastics, cementing her status as the GOAT. Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 2 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'goat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English gote, from Old English gāt; akin to Old High German geiz goat, Old Norse geit, Latin haedus kid

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Abbreviation Or Noun

1996, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of goat was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near goat

Cite this Entry

“Goat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goat. Accessed 2 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

goat

noun
plural goat or goats
1
: any of various cud-chewing mammals having hollow horns that curve backward, a short tail, and usually straight hair and related to the sheep but of lighter build
especially : one raised for its milk, wool, and flesh
2
goatlike adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on goat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!