GOAT

GOAT means “greatest of all time.” Calling someone the GOAT says they’re the best ever at what they do, whether that’s a basketball player, a rapper or your friend who always remembers birthdays.

What does GOAT mean?

GOAT is an acronym for “greatest of all time.” It started in sports and music and is now used for anything and anyone: athletes, artists, a dish at a restaurant, or a teacher who postponed the test. Arguments over who deserves the title, such as Jordan or LeBron, are known as GOAT debates.

It’s usually written GOAT or G.O.A.T., and it’s often paired with the goat emoji 🐐. The related adjective goated means extremely good.

How to use GOAT

• “Serena is the GOAT, no debate.”
• “My mom’s lasagna is the GOAT.”
• “You lent me your notes? You’re the GOAT.”
• “Who’s the GOAT of rap? Discuss.”

Where GOAT comes from

The idea goes back to Muhammad Ali, who famously called himself “The Greatest.” In 1992, his wife Lonnie Ali incorporated G.O.A.T. Inc. to manage his intellectual property. Merriam-Webster’s earliest online example, from 1996, is a basketball fan forum post about Penny Hardaway. LL Cool J’s 2000 album G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) helped popularize the acronym, and LL Cool J has credited Ali as its origin. Merriam-Webster added GOAT to its dictionary in September 2018.

Related terms

• Slay: to do something extremely well.
• Ate: did something perfectly.
• Cracked: extremely skilled, especially in games.
• Mid: mediocre, the opposite of GOAT.

See more terms like this in our texting abbreviations guide and our Gen Z slang dictionary.