in a pig's eye

prepositional phrase

Under very unlikely circumstances; probably never.

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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticUnder very unlikely circumstances; probably never.

    Of course, Mr. Spock. Your reaction was quite logical ... in a pig's eye!

    1967 September 15, Theodore Sturgeon, “Amok Time”, in Joseph Pevney, director, Star Trek, season 2, episode 1, spoken by McCoy (DeForest Kelley)
    1 more example

    “Then he planned to kill you, and take over himself as governor.” “Hah, in a pig's eye,” said Nasty Three.

    2011, Izzy Auld, chapter 64, in Aggie's Double Dollies, →ISBN, page 366

Origin

A euphemism for in a pig's arse.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kun lehmät lentävät
  • kun lehmät lentävätvery unlikely, probably never
Icelandic aldrei, alls ekki
  • aldreivery unlikely, probably never
  • alls ekkivery unlikely, probably never
  • kemur ekki til málavery unlikely, probably never
  • tóm dellavery unlikely, probably never
Russian когда́ рак на горе свистнет
  • когда́ рак на горе свистнет (kogdá rak na gore svistnet)very unlikely, probably never
Spanish el día que las vacas vuelen
  • el día que las vacas vuelenvery unlikely, probably never
Cite this entry
APA

in a pig's eye. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20a%20pig's%20eye

MLA

“in a pig's eye.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20a%20pig's%20eye. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in a pig's eye,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20a%20pig's%20eye.

Source: in a pig's eye on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.