# Whats the origin of "batsh\*t"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 16, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077 "2005-05-16T15:55:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077/1 "2005-05-16T15:55:32Z")

</div>

Phrases such as “batshit nuts”, “batshit crazy”, “batshit insane”, “shit nuts”, etc, to describe someone as completely off their rocker.

Where do they come from? The closest thing I could think of to a factual answer would be getting rabies from actual bat feces, leading to strange behavior or insanity.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077/2 "2005-05-16T16:09:33Z")

</div>

I don’t know. If I had to guess I would suppose that is somehow related to the old ‘Batman’ TV series. Dick Grays, Bruce Wayne’s lover (I mean ‘ward’) was always saying ‘Holy Bat (something), Batman!’

I suppose that is it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077/3 "2005-05-16T17:46:54Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> Whats the origin of "batsh\*t

Uhhh, the bat butt?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077/4 "2005-05-16T18:00:52Z")

</div>

I think it’s just an amusing construction. Apeshit is used the same way. Doubt it could be traced to a specific origin. Robin said “holy this” and “holy that” but not “holy bat this-or-that.” All of Batman’s stuff was that Batmobile, Bat Cave, Bat Plane, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel. But I think the phrase predates the popularity of Batman as brought by the TV show.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077/5 "2005-05-16T18:40:02Z")

</div>

> [@CookingWithGas](#):
>
> I think it’s just an amusing construction. Apeshit is used the same way. Doubt it could be traced to a specific origin. Robin said “holy this” and “holy that” but not “holy bat this-or-that.” All of Batman’s stuff was that Batmobile, Bat Cave, Bat Plane, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel. But I think the phrase predates the popularity of Batman as brought by the TV show.

Everything on the show was Bat-This and Bat-That. Robin kept saying Holy This and Holy That. It is no wonder that as the show has been off the air for almost forty years that the to meld together.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077/6 "2005-05-16T18:41:46Z")

</div>

“Apeshit” might have come from [“going ape,”](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=go%20ape) because people regularly vulgarize anything.  
In the same way, you might get “batshit” from “going batty,” [which does, actually, mean “insane.”](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=batty)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-batsh-t/304077/7 "2005-05-16T21:43:50Z")

</div>

> [@Happy Scrappy Hero Pup](#):
>
> people regularly vulgarize anything.

Bullshit.