The story
Originally a euphemism for Holy Mary, Molly being a nickname for Mary. Compare holy Moses.
First known use, by meaning
- from late 19th c. Synonym of wow, an expression of surprise.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
holy moley
Today it means: Synonym of wow, an expression of surprise. Full definition →
First used late 19th c.