First Known Use: 1530
Dictionary
1scapegoat
noun scape·goat \ˈskāp-ˌgōt\
: a person who is unfairly blamed for something that others have done
Full Definition of SCAPEGOAT
1
: a goat upon whose head are symbolically placed the sins of the people after which he is sent into the wilderness in the biblical ceremony for Yom Kippur
2
a : one that bears the blame for others b : one that is the object of irrational hostility
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Origin of SCAPEGOAT
1scape; intended as translation of Hebrew ʽazāzēl (probably name of a demon), as if ʽēz 'ōzēl goat that departs—Lev 16:8(Authorized Version)
Related to SCAPEGOAT
- Synonyms
- fall guy, goat, whipping boy
Rhymes with SCAPEGOAT
afloat, airboat, banknote, bareboat, bluecoat, blue note, box coat, bumboat, capote, car coat, catboat, C-note, compote, connote, coyote, cutthroat, deep throat, demote, denote, devote, dovecote, dreamboat, eighth note, emote, endnote, fireboat, fistnote, flatboat, foldboat, footnote, frock coat, gemot, grace note, greatcoat, gunboat, half note, headnote, Hohhot, houseboat, housecoat, iceboat, johnboat, keelboat, keynote, lab coat, lifeboat, longboat, mash note, one-note, peacoat, pigboat, promote, Q-boat, raincoat, Rajkot, redcoat, remote, rowboat, sack coat, sailboat, sauceboat, seed coat, shape note, sheepcote, showboat, sore throat, speedboat, steamboat, stoneboat, straw vote, strep throat, Sukkoth, surcoat, surfboat, swan boat, tailcoat, topcoat, towboat, trench coat, tugboat, turncoat, U-boat, unquote, wainscot, whaleboat, whitethroat, whole note, woodnote, workboat
2scapegoat
transitive verb
Definition of SCAPEGOAT
: to make a scapegoat of
— scape·goat·ism \-ˌgō-ˌti-zəm\ noun
First Known Use of SCAPEGOAT
1943
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