GOAT stands for Greatest Of All Time — someone who has achieved more than anyone else in their field, especially in sport. The word is used in casual conversation, online comments and posts about sport, music and games; in an essay or business letter, write the best of all time instead.
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the GOAT; the GOAT of + area/sport
- Everyone at practice says Serena is the GOAT of tennis.
- My brother calls Messi the GOAT, but I still prefer Ronaldo.
- If he wins tonight, people will call him the GOAT for sure.
What changed
First versionEveryone says Michael Jordan is GOAT of basketball.
RevisionEveryone says Michael Jordan is the GOAT of basketball.
GOAT stands for greatest of all time, a superlative, and English superlatives take the: the best, the greatest. So it's not GOAT of basketball but the GOAT of basketball; because GOAT is written as a plain noun, it's easy to forget the article that superlatives normally need.
People seriously call athletes and musicians the GOAT, and fans love arguing about it: Is Messi the GOAT? In texting, it's often used to jokingly praise a friend for helping out: You fixed my laptop? You're the GOAT. That just means you're the best, and in neutral speech you're the best is enough.
Your turn
After he won his tenth title, commentators called him ___ of the sport.
Show the answer
the GOAT — Only one person can be the greatest in the whole history of the sport, so it needs the definite article, just like the best: the GOAT. A GOAT sounds as if there could be many 'greatest of all time', and that doesn't fit with of the sport.
Write a sentence about who you consider the best at something — sport, music or a profession. Name the person and the area where they're the best.
For me, Usain Bolt is the GOAT of sprinting.
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