sacred cow

noun

1. an individual, organization, institution, etc., considered to be exempt from criticism or questioning.

sacred cow

noun

1. informal.
   a person, institution, custom, etc, unreasonably held to be beyond criticism

sacred cow

1. Figuratively, anything that is beyond criticism: “That housing project is a real sacred cow: the city council won't hear of abandoning it.” In India, followers of Hinduism consider cows sacred and do not eat them because they believe the animals contain the souls of dead persons.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sacred cow¹

First recorded in 1905–10; in reference to the traditional inviolability of the cow among Hindus

Word History and Origins

Origin of sacred cow¹

alluding to the Hindu belief that cattle are sacred

Idioms and Phrases

A person or thing immune to criticism or questioning, as in The rules governing the press conference have become a sacred cow in this administration . This term alludes to the honored status of cows in Hinduism, where they are a symbol of God's generosity to humankind. It has been used figuratively since about 1900.

Example Sentences

Honor the victims, not foreign policy sacred cows.

From Los Angeles Times

Greenfield called Jackson an “iconoclast,” and this contrarian spirit is integral to an artist who is dubious of sacred cows.

From Los Angeles Times

And their play is the latest testament to the 16th president’s staying power as an irreverent figure in genre — comedy, horror, thrillers — a world that devours sacred cows like a kid scarfs down Skittles.

From New York Times

At least that was the theory of Stephen Yagman, an attorney both admired and reviled in local lore for his history of toppling sacred cows.

From Los Angeles Times

Ideal for fans of memoir, criticism or just fierce writing, Myriam Gurba’s essay collection takes on sacred cows like Joan Didion, personal legacies of abuse, Mexican literature and the inescapable marine layer.

From Los Angeles Times