What is scapegoat? How to use in English

Definition & pronunciation of scapegoat

scapegoatverb

vật tế thần

/ˈskeɪpɡəʊt//ˈskeɪpɡəʊt/

Where does the word scapegoat come from?

The term "scapegoat" originates from the ancient Jewish ritual of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. In this ritual, a goat was chosen to symbolically carry away the sins of the Israelites. The High Priest would lay his hands on the goat and confess the sins of the people, then the goat was driven into the wilderness, carrying the sins with it. The Hebrew word for "goat" is "se'ir" and the word "azazel" was used to describe the place in the wilderness where the goat was sent. Over time, the term "scapegoat" came to refer to anyone who is blamed or punished for the wrongdoings of others.

Vocabulary summary scapegoat

typenoun

meaningthe scapegoat, the scapegoat, the guilty one

Example of vocabulary scapegoatnamespace

  • The school principal made the student council president a scapegoat for the lack of funds in the extracurricular activities program.
  • The manager blamed the new sales executive as a scapegoat for the decrease in sales during the last quarter.
  • During the annual performance review, the office administrator was made a scapegoat for the department's failure to meet the targets.
  • The CEO of the company blamed the marketing team for the failed product launch, making them the scapegoats for the loss.
  • The policeman accused the group of teenagers as scapegoats for the recent spike in crime in the area.

Synonyms and related words for scapegoat

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