Etymology Journal ยท O
Oh my stars!
Meaning
- An old-fashioned expression of shock or surprise. It is the verbal equivalent of clutching one's pearls.
Dramatic, vintage
Used in a sentence
- Oh my stars, did you see what she was wearing?
- Oh my stars, I forgot to turn off the oven.
- Oh my stars, that is the biggest sunflower I have ever seen.
The backstory
This harkens back to the 19th century, referring to the night sky as a witness to some surprising event. It has survived as a campy, dramatic classic.
Heard in
The South
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