Meanings
verbkill the fatted calf (third-person singular simple present kills the fatted calf, present participle killing the fatted calf, simple past and past participle killed the fatted calf)
present singular third person kills the fatted calf · participle present killing the fatted calf · participle past killed the fatted calf · past killed the fatted calf
- idiomaticTo begin a festive celebration and rejoice for someone's long-awaited return.
Origin
From the parable of the prodigal son in the New Testament.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch het vetgemeste kalf slachten
- het vetgemeste kalf slachtenbegin a festive celebration
Finnish teurastaa syöttövasikka
- teurastaa syöttövasikkabegin a festive celebration
French tuer le veau gras
- tuer le veau grasbegin a festive celebration
Italian uccidere il vitello grasso
- uccidere il vitello grassobegin a festive celebration
Norwegian Bokmål slakte gjøkalven
- slakte gjøkalvenbegin a festive celebration
Polish obchodzić czyjś powrót
- obchodzić czyjś powrótbegin a festive celebration
Swedish slakta gödkalven
- slakta gödkalvenbegin a festive celebration
Cite this entry
APA
kill the fatted calf. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kill%20the%20fatted%20calf
MLA
“kill the fatted calf.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kill%20the%20fatted%20calf. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kill the fatted calf,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kill%20the%20fatted%20calf.
Source: kill the fatted calf on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.