“Heavens to Murgatroyd” Meaning, Origin and Examples

Last updated on October 10, 2024 by Liam Daniel

Have you ever heard someone use the saying ‘heavens to murgatroyd’ and wondered what they are talking about? We are going to look at the meaning of this term and how we can use it in a conversation, as well as taking a look at where the phrase came from in order to better understand its meaning.

Heavens to Murgatryod Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • “Heavens to Murgatroyd” is a humorous expression used to show surprise or disbelief, similar to “Oh my goodness!” It became popular through the cartoon character Snagglepuss and is now used in a playful or nostalgic way.
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Heavens to Murgatryod Meaning

“Heavens to Murgatroyd” is an old-fashioned, humorous expression used to convey surprise, astonishment, or disbelief, similar to saying “Oh my goodness!” or “Good heavens!” The phrase is often associated with a playful or exaggerated tone.

Origin of this Saying

The expression became popular through the character Snagglepuss, a pink cartoon mountain lion in the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Yogi Bear Show, who frequently used it along with other flamboyant phrases. The origin of “Murgatroyd” in the phrase is not entirely clear, but it adds a quirky and comical flair to the exclamation.

Usage of “Heavens to Murgatryod”

  • To express shock or amazement:
    • “Heavens to Murgatroyd! You finished the entire cake by yourself?”
  • In a lighthearted or playful situation:
    • “Heavens to Murgatroyd! I can’t believe you actually solved that puzzle!”
  • To emphasize disbelief in a funny way:
    • “Heavens to Murgatroyd! Is that really the time? I’m late!”
  • When reacting to something unexpected:
    • “Heavens to Murgatroyd! Look at all this snow!”

Related Terms to “Heavens to Murgatryod”

  • Good heavens! – A classic expression used to show surprise or shock.
  • Well, I’ll be! – A colloquial expression of astonishment or disbelief.
  • Holy smokes! – An informal phrase used to express amazement or shock.
  • Great Scott! – An old-fashioned exclamation used to convey surprise or disbelief.
  • My word! – A polite and somewhat old-fashioned phrase expressing surprise.
  • Jumpin’ Jehosaphat! – A playful, somewhat exaggerated expression of surprise.
  • Land sakes! – An old-fashioned phrase expressing shock or surprise, often used in the southern United States.
  • Egad! – A dated exclamation of surprise, often used in a theatrical or humorous way.

Other Ways to Say the Phrase

There are many ways in which the term ‘heavens to murgatroyd’ could be expressed.

Here are some examples of other ways you might say the term.

Examples of “Heavens to Murgatryod”

Examples in Statements

Here is a statement made by a golfer during a game.

  • ‘Heavens to murgatroyd, I got a hole in one!’

This next statement is made by a live news reporter

  • ‘Heavens to murgatroyd, things just got really intense over here, stay tuned for all the action as it happens.’

Conversation Examples

There are many ways in which the term ‘heavens to murgtroyd’ can be used in a conversation, here are just some examples of how that can be done.

The first conversation is taking place between two work colleagues.

  • Person 1: “Did you bring the screwdriver?”
  • Person 2: “Oh no! I forgot to get it.”
  • Person 1: “Heavens to murgatroyd, Bob, we won’t be able to finish this job without it.”

Here is a conversation which is happening between a father and daughter.

  • Person 1: “Dad, I will do my homework after I get back from the movies.”
  • Person 2: “Well when are you supposed to hand it in?”
  • Person 1: “Tomorrow.”
  • Person 2: “Heavens to murgatroyd, you’re cutting it a bit fine, aren’t you.”
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