Etymology Journal ยท W
What in God's green earth?
Meaning
- A colorful exclamation of shock, confusion, or disbelief. It is used to express that something is completely baffling or out of place.
Flabbergasted, expressive
Used in a sentence
- What in God's green earth are you doing with that chainsaw inside the house?
- What in God's green earth is that smell?
- I looked out the window and saw a goat on my roof. What in God's green earth?
The backstory
Using God as an invocation is common in American speech, and adding 'green earth' provides a visual, folksy flair. It is a way to express strong emotion without resorting to harsh profanity.
Heard in
The South
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