sacrificial lamb

noun

A lamb killed as an offering to the gods.

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Meanings

nounsacrificial lamb (plural sacrificial lambs)

plural sacrificial lambs

  1. A lamb killed as an offering to the gods.
  2. broadlyfigurativelyA person who is sacrificed (not literally) for the greater good of some cause.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
fall guyscapegoatwhipping boy

Translations

Finnish uhrilammas, uhrilammas
  • uhrilammaslamb
  • uhrilammasperson
German Opferlamm, Bauernopfer
  • Opferlammlamb
  • Bauernopferperson
Italian agnello sacrificale, agnello sacrificale
  • agnello sacrificalelamb
  • agnello sacrificaleperson
Polish kozioł ofiarny
  • kozioł ofiarnyperson
Portuguese boi de piranha
  • boi de piranhaperson
Slovak obetný baránok
  • obetný baránoklamb
Swedish offerlamm, offerlamm
  • offerlammlamb
  • offerlammperson
Cite this entry
APA

sacrificial lamb. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sacrificial%20lamb

MLA

“sacrificial lamb.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sacrificial%20lamb. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sacrificial lamb,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sacrificial%20lamb.

Source: sacrificial lamb on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.