scapegoating

noun

1. a goat over the head of which the high priest of the ancient Jews confessed the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement, after which it was allowed to escape: Lev. 16:7-26
2. a person, group, or thing upon whom the blame for the mistakes or crimes of others is thrust

Origin: coined by William Tyndale (1530) < scape + goat, prob. from LL(Vulg.) caper emissarius, lit., emissary goat, transl. of Gr(Ec) tragos aperchomenos, departing goat, used as transl. of Heb sair laazazel < sair, he-goat + l, to + azazel, prob. name of a desert demon, but ? with folk-etym. meaning “goat that leaves,” as if < ez (female) goat + azal, has left

transitive verb, intransitive verb