Goaty

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having the appearance, smell, or other qualities characteristic of a goat
2. Resembling a goat in looks or in the strong, musky odor associated with the animal
3. Suggesting a goat in appearance, scent, or manner, often with a rank or musky quality

Etymology: "Goaty" is about as transparent as English word formation gets: it is simply "goat" with the suffix "-y," which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "having the qualities of" or "characterized by" the thing named. So a goaty smell is one that resembles the strong, musky odor of a goat, and a goaty look is one that recalls the animal's appearance. The suffix "-y" is one of the oldest and most productive adjective-makers in English, going back to Old English, and it has been attached to countless animal names in the same way, as with "doggy," "catty," and "piggy." The base word "goat" itself comes from Old English "gāt," a word whose roots are shared with other Germanic languages, which is why the family of words built on it is so old and sturdy.

Synonyms: goatish