Phrase guide

holy cow

intj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

intj

Meaning 1

An exclamation of surprise or astonishment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, idiomatic

Qualifier: minced oath

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Minced oath for holy shit, possibly partially based on the fact that cows are sacred in some religions (e.g. Hinduism).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: la vache — interjection
  • Spanish: dios santo / mío — interjection
  • Spanish: cielos — interjection
  • Spanish: ave María [Purísima] — interjection
  • Spanish: asu madre / macho — interjection