in a pig's eye
No way; said when you flat do not believe it.
Also called in a pig's ear, no way.
Updated September 24, 2026
in a pig's eye pronunciation
/in uh PIGZ eye/
Meaning
A sharp comeback that means never, nonsense, or I don't buy that. Someone brags or floats a wild plan and you cut it off with in a pig's eye. Common American slang that sits easy in rural Southern talk when folks are calling bluff at the feed store or kitchen table.
How folks use it
- “He's gonna quit drinking this year? In a pig's eye.”
- “They said that old truck would make it to town. In a pig's eye it would.”
Origin and etymology
Chiefly North American (also heard in Australia). Print shows up by the 1840s, including Jacob Oswandel's Mexican War notes. Exact why a pig's eye equals disbelief is murky. Related snorts include in a pig's ear. Treat folk stories about the phrase as guesses.