Etymology Journal ยท J
Jeepers!
Meaning
- A mild, wholesome exclamation of surprise or mild alarm. It is the G-rated version of more colorful language.
Goofy, wholesome
Used in a sentence
- Jeepers, you scared the life out of me!
- Jeepers, look at the size of that tomato in the garden.
- Jeepers, I completely forgot about the meeting.
The backstory
This started as a minced oath to avoid saying Jesus, popularizing in the early 20th century alongside similar terms like golly or gee whiz.
Heard in
Midwest
Vibe check