# "Holy Cow!" -- origins **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627 "2006-06-06T16:08:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/1 "2006-06-06T16:08:56Z")
How long has this phrase – “Holy Cow!” – been used? What are its origins? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/2 "2006-06-06T16:19:31Z")
From the Latin, \*Harious Carrayous \* which, loosely interpreted means to look with astonishment toward the far colloseum seats immediately following a solid hit with a stick to a rock. Best pronounced after drinking cold beer in hot sun. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/3 "2006-06-06T16:23:11Z")
I can’t speak to how long it’s been around, but “Holy Cow” is sort of an evasive oath. I imagine it’s influenced somewhat by hindu sacred cows, but at its root it’s a substitution, like “Holy Mackerel” stands in for “Holy Moses,” etc. It has _probably_ been around for as long as some people have felt uncomfortable with “Holy Christ!” and “cow” was handy as a soundalike. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/4 "2006-06-06T16:51:10Z")
It was coined by Phil Ruzzuto, of course. 😉 The OED dates it from 1924: 1924 Dialect Notes V. 265 Cow: holy {emem} (vex[ation]: New York). Since the origin is from New York, it would tend to preclude any connection with Indian sacred cows. “Holy smoke” dates from 1920, and it seems to be connected with the idea of “holy X” as an expletive. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/5 "2006-06-06T17:07:27Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > From the Latin, \*Harious Carrayous \* which, loosely interpreted means to look with astonishment toward the far colloseum seats immediately following a solid hit with a stick to a rock. Best pronounced after drinking cold beer in hot sun. Hehehehhe. Classic. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/6 "2006-06-06T17:15:35Z")
Here’s the Wikipedia entry: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy\_cow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_cow) I thought I’d heard that the saying was popularized by a radio serial (rather than initially by Harry Carey), possibly Jack Armstrong, but Wiki doesn’t list it, and I can’t find it via internet searching. Corliss Archer (whatever that is – I’ve never heard of it) apparently wasn’t a radio show. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/7 "2006-06-06T18:23:12Z")
FWiiW: I have heard both Scooter and Harry says they heard it on the radio in their youth. Neither coined the term. This thread won’t help you much but might be of interest. [Who uses phrase “Holy Cow”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=327580) Jim ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/8 "2006-06-06T18:31:46Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#): > > How long has this phrase – “Holy Cow!” – been used? What are its origins? Five or six thousand years? E G Y P T ? … :dubious: A A R O N ’ s … G O L D E N … C A L F ? … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/9 "2006-06-06T18:35:58Z")
FTR, if anyone cares, I almost used “HOLY CHAO” for my screen name. 😃 Sorry, I have nothing intelligent to contribute today. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/10 "2006-06-06T18:44:00Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Here’s the Wikipedia entry: > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy\_cow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_cow) > > I thought I’d heard that the saying was popularized by a radio serial (rather than initially by Harry Carey), possibly Jack Armstrong, but Wiki doesn’t list it, and I can’t find it via internet searching. Corliss Archer (whatever that is – I’ve never heard of it) apparently wasn’t a radio show. Corliss Archer was a radio show first in the late 40’s. The TV show came later. However, I doubt this is the origin as Phil Rizzuto says he heard it on the radio when he was young. So it should at least date back to a 30’s radio program. Jim ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/11 "2006-06-06T22:30:42Z")
The experts over at the American Dialect Society have now found this in 1913/1914 in two different newspapers, Calif and Neb. and both in a sports context. That’s the state of the art as it exist as of this year. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/12 "2006-06-07T00:13:45Z")
Here are two listings in a thesaurus from the Project Gutenberg site. They are used in the same way we would at present. I have found books with references that seem to indicate that the phrase is a shortening of another phrase reguarding religion. An electronic thesaurus derived from the version of Roget’s Thesaurus published in 1911. Roget’s Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget. The site gives the athors life as 1779-1869, which If correct means the book had to be writen no later than 1869. > **[Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22)** > > Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by Project Gutenberg. #83. Unconformity. (removed text) Adv. unconformably &c. adj.; except, unless, save barring, beside, without, save and except, let alone. however, yet, but. once in a blue moon, once in a million years. Int. what on earth! what in the world! What the devil! \*\*\*Holy cow! \*\*\* Can you top that?; Sacre bleu [Fr]. #870. Wonder. (removed text) Adv. wonderfully, &c. adj.; fearfully; for a wonder, in the name of wonder; strange to say; mirabile dictu[Lat], mirabile visu[Lat]; to one’s great surprise. with wonder &c. n., with gaping mouth; with open eyes, with upturned eyes. Int. lo, lo and behold! O! heyday! halloo! what! indeed! really! surely! humph! hem! good lack, good heavens, good gracious! Ye gods! good Lord! good grief! \*\*\* Holy cow! \*\*\* My word! Holy shit![vulg.], gad so! The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Twilight of the Gods, and Other Tales by Richard Garnett MDCCCCIII or 1903 > **[The Twilight of the Gods, and Other Tales by Richard Garnett](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10095)** > > Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by Project Gutenberg. “By the holy cow!” exclaimed the monarch, “this is something like a religion!” I found other similar phrases usually in the context of India , Buddest, and Egyptians. I leave checking out the other books to thoose currious on the Project Gutenberg site. [http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/results](http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/results) I have to go Tornados in the local ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-origins/359627/13 "2006-06-07T01:05:20Z")
We had many tornados, the closest was about 5 miles away. No problem here. I don’t want to highjack this thread.