The term “scapegoat” has roots in ancient religious practices, specifically in the Jewish Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. In the ritual described in the Hebrew Bible, a priest would symbolically place the sins of the people onto a goat. This goat, bearing the weight of everyone’s sins, would then be sent out into the wilderness, effectively “carrying away” their wrongdoings. This ritual allowed the people to feel cleansed of their sins, as the “scapegoat” took on their transgressions.

The English term “scapegoat” developed from this practice, combining “scape” (an older term for “escape”) with “goat,” to describe someone or something that takes the blame for others’ actions. Today, a “scapegoat” refers to a person, group, or thing unfairly blamed for problems or misfortunes, even if they didn’t cause them. This concept, originally deeply symbolic, has evolved into a widely understood term for someone who is unjustly blamed.