bleat

American  

[bleet] / blit /

verb (used without object)

1. to utter the cry of a sheep, goat, or calf or a sound resembling such a cry.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give forth with or as if with a bleat.

   He bleated his objections in a helpless rage.

2. to babble; prate.

noun

1. the cry of a sheep, goat, or calf.

2. any similar sound.

   the bleat of distant horns.

3. foolish, complaining talk; babble.

   I listened to their inane bleat all evening.

bleat British  

/ bliːt /

verb

1. (intr) (of a sheep, goat, or calf) to utter its characteristic plaintive cry

2. (intr) to speak with any similar sound

3. to whine; whimper

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noun

1. the characteristic cry of sheep, goats, and young calves

2. any sound similar to this

3. a weak complaint or whine

Other Word Forms

• bleater noun
• bleating noun
• bleatingly adverb
• outbleat verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of bleat

before 1000; Middle English bleten, Old English blǣtan; cognate with Dutch blaten, Old High German blāzen; akin to Latin flēre to weep

Explanation

The sound a lamb or calf makes is a bleat. If you hear tiny bleats coming from your barn, you'll know the new baby goats were born at last. Many animals might bleat, though a bleat is a slightly weak, high-pitched sound, which is why it's typically made by young animals. When baby animals bleat, their mothers naturally go to them to feed or comfort them. You might also describe a human's cry or whine as a bleat, if it's particularly pitiful. The word comes from a Germanic root, and it's imitative of the sound itself.

Example Sentences

Trombones bleat, a tuba bellows, drums are the heart.

From Salon • Nov. 8, 2025

Rhapsodizing about condiments to a ship of starving workers, Ylfa may as well bleat, “Let them eat ketchup!”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2025

Around him in the fenced-in yard, four goats bleat and 18 turkeys and more than 20 chickens peck at the grass.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 8, 2023

At a recent rehearsal, despite clarinet squeaks and the occasional bleat of a rogue saxophone, almost every student was smiling, Sarah Diamond reports in The Times.

From New York Times • Jun. 21, 2022

The goat stopped pacing, letting out a little bleat.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack