"Holy Mackerel" Idiom Meaning, Origin & History | Superduper English Idioms
Channel: Superduper English Idioms
Date: 2021-03-18

0:00 - How to Say, “Holy mackerel!”
0:18 - Examples of “Holy mackerel!”
0:55 - Meaning of “Holy mackerel!”
1:13 - Origin of “Holy mackerel!”
2:43 - More Examples of “Holy mackerel!”
3:29 - Conclusion

“Holy mackerel!”

When someone yells out, “Holy mackerel!” it means they are surprised, shocked, startled, amused, amazed or astounded.

“Holy mackerel, the view from your apartment is fantastic!” your friend might say while visiting your place for the first time.

Maybe you just received something you ordered online, “It took two months to get here, holy mackerel…”

“Holy mackerel, that was a good meal,” your cousin might say after enjoying your home-cooked dinner.

As you can tell, “holy mackerel”, is an expression that conveys astonishment, amazement, amusement, incredulity, wonder, or unexpectedness.

The origin of the idiom, “holy mackerel”, is said to date back at least 200 years and is just one of the many sacrilegious, impious, irreverent exclamations that involve religion.

According to Emily from Australia via The Guardian Notes & Queries, “holy mackerel”, was almost certainly a reference to the Catholic practice of eating fish on Fridays.

“Holy cow” is another irreligious exclamation, a reference to Hinduism; while “holy smoke” is a reference to the burning of incense in many Asian religions.

“Holy shit” is another exclamation popular amongst folks from all walks of life and is just another blasphemous oath involving the “holy” prefix.

“Holy,” of course, means that something is sacred, related to god or gods or is for religious purposes.

“Holy mackerel, this is the most beautiful painting I’ve ever seen,” your friend might say during a visit to an art gallery.

Perhaps you’re watching a documentary about climate change, “Holy mackerel, humans are really destroying our planet…”

“Holy mackerel! It’s been a year since the pandemic started?!” you might yell out in frustration after yet another day locked down at home.

So, the next time you want to scream, shout, squeal your amazement or astonishment about something, don’t forget to yell, “Holy mackerel!”

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References: https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-1451,00.html