n.
Pronunciation: ' sk ā p- ˌ g ō t
Function: noun
Etymology: 1 scape; intended as translation of Hebrew 'az ā z ē l (prob. name of a demon), as if ' ē z ' ō z ē l goat that departsLev 16:8(AV)
Date: 1530
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