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 The thief stole 14 deer mounts, along with a bear hide, a wolf hide, a sheep hide, a mountain goat hide, and multiple boxes of .22 ammo. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 29 Feb. 2024 All the iconic Rocky Mountains animals are present in the park — moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolves, cougars, and grizzly bears. Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 The agency said the new closure would provide refuge for wildlife like mountain goats, lynx and wolverines. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Blankets woven of dog hair, often mixed with hair from mountain goats and waterfowl or plant fibers, were important trade and gift items. Chris Stantis, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023 Barbary sheep, mouflon sheep, blackbuck, red stag, sika and axis deer and mountain goats are among the exotic game that roam the ranch. Melissa Manno, San Antonio Express-News, 17 Dec. 2023 Bruni explained that chunks of the mountain break off from the cliffs during heavy rainstorms or when mountain goats clamber up the slopes. Elaine Sciolino, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Dec. 2023 News media showed mountain goats on Welsh sidewalks, jackals in Tel Aviv, daytime raccoons sauntering through Central Park in New York City. Carl Safina, TIME, 5 Oct. 2023 Its varied terrain is home to hundreds of animal species, including moose, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, mountain goats, wolves, bears, and mountain lions. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mountain 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

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near mountain goat

Cite this Entry

“Mountain goat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountain%20goat. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on mountain goat

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