scapegoat
UK[ˈskeɪpɡəʊt]US[ˈskeɪpɡoʊt]
n
A person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency.
v
To make a scapegoat of.
Morpheme Breakdown
scape
goat
scape
escape
goat
animal
Etymology
The word 'scapegoat' is a linguistic and conceptual invention from the 16th century, created by the English translator William Tyndale. He coined it to render the Hebrew term 'azazel' from the biblical Day of Atonement ritual described in Leviticus. In this ritual, one of two goats was chosen by lot to be sent alive into the wilderness, symbolically carrying away the sins of the people. Tyndale fused the archaic verb 'scape' (meaning 'to escape') with 'goat' to produce a vivid, literal English compound for this "goat that escapes." Over time, the meaning evolved from the literal ritual animal to a metaphorical figure—a person who is made to bear the blame and consequences for others, thus allowing the true culprits to "escape" accountability.
Analysis
Structure: scape (escape) + goat (animal)
scape: From Middle English 'scape', a shortened form of 'escape', ultimately from Vulgar Latin excappāre (to get out of one's cape, to flee).
goat: From Old English 'gāt', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'geit' and German 'Geiss'.
Examples
The manager became the scapegoat for the company's financial failure.
It is unfair to scapegoat an entire community for the actions of a few.
Throughout history, minority groups have often been used as scapegoats during times of social crisis.