scapegoat

/ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt/

//ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"scapegoat" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scapegoat” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #25,197. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#25,197
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In the Mosaic Day of Atonement ritual, a goat symbolically imbued with the sins of the people, and sent out alive into the wilderness while another was sacrificed.

Key facts for scapegoat
PropertyValue
Headwordscapegoat
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#25,197
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scapegoat” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). scapegoat lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around scapegoat (IPA /ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #25,197 among 54,294 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for scapegoat, with forms such as "csapegoat", "sacpegoat", and "scaepgoat". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From scape + goat; coined by English biblical scholar and translator William Tyndale, interpreting Biblical Hebrew עֲזָאזֵל (“azazél”) (Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26), from an interpretation as coming from עֵז (ez, “goat”) and אוזל (ozél, “escapes”). First atteste… The correct English form is scapegoat, spelled S-C-A-P-E-G-O-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    In the Mosaic Day of Atonement ritual, a goat symbolically imbued with the sins of the people, and sent out alive into the wilderness while another was sacrificed.
  2. 2
    Someone unfairly blamed or punished for some failure.

Etymology

From scape + goat; coined by English biblical scholar and translator William Tyndale, interpreting Biblical Hebrew עֲזָאזֵל (“azazél”) (Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26), from an interpretation as coming from עֵז (ez, “goat”) and אוזל (ozél, “escapes”). First attested 1530. Compare English scapegrace, scapegallows.

Synonyms

sacrificial lambescapegoatfall guyfolk devilgoatJoe Soappatsyscapegoatwhipping boy

This word in other languages

chivo expiatorio(Español)bouc émissaire(Français)Sündenbock(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • csapegoat
  • sacpegoat
  • scaepgoat
  • scapegaot
  • scapeggoat
  • scapegoatt
  • scapegota
  • scapeogat
  • scapgeoat
  • scappegoat
  • sccapegoat
  • scpaegoat
  • sscapegoat

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of scapegoat - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

csapegoat2sacpegoat2scaepgoat2scapegaot2scapeggoat1scapegoatt1scapegota2scapeogat2
Edit distance from "scapegoat"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "scapegoat"?
"scapegoat" is spelled S-C-A-P-E-G-O-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt/.
What does "scapegoat" mean?
As a noun, "scapegoat" means: In the Mosaic Day of Atonement ritual, a goat symbolically imbued with the sins of the people, and sent out alive into the wilderness while another was sacrificed.
What are common misspellings of "scapegoat"?
Common misspellings include "csapegoat", "sacpegoat", "scaepgoat", "scapegaot", "scapeggoat". The correct spelling is "scapegoat".
How do you pronounce "scapegoat"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scapegoat" is /ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "scapegoat"?
From scape + goat; coined by English biblical scholar and translator William Tyndale, interpreting Biblical Hebrew עֲזָאזֵל (“azazél”) (Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26), from an interpretation as coming from עֵז (ez, “goat”) and אוזל (ozél, “escapes”). Fir... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “scapegoat”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-C-A-P-E-G-O-A-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list