scapegoat
UK: ˈskeɪpɡəʊt | US: ˈskeɪpɡoʊt
n. a person or group blamed for the mistakes or faults of others
vt. to assign blame unfairly to someone
scapegoat = scape<escape> + goat<animal>
- scape (from Middle English scapen, meaning "to escape" or "avoid")
- goat (from Old English gāt, referring to the animal)
Etymology Origin:
The term originates from the biblical ritual in Leviticus 16, where a goat symbolically carried away the sins of the people into the wilderness ("escape-goat"). Over time, it evolved metaphorically to describe anyone unjustly blamed for others' failures. The morphemes reflect the original concept of transferring guilt (scape) onto an innocent party (goat).
The manager used his assistant as a scapegoat for the project's failure.
Politicians often scapegoat immigrants for economic problems.
She refused to be the scapegoat for her team's mistakes.
In history, minority groups have frequently been made scapegoats.
The term "scapegoat" highlights the injustice of shifting blame.