helluva

American

[hel-uh-vuh] / ˈhɛl ə və /

adjective

Informal.

hell of a (used as an intensifier).

We had a helluva time getting through the heavy traffic.
She's a helluva good player!

helluva British

/ ˈhɛləvə /

adverb

(intensifier)

a helluva difficult job
he's a helluva guy
(intensifier)

it's helluva tough out here

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of helluva

First recorded in 1915–20; a phonetic spelling representation of hell of a in continuous rapid speech

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Helluva deal right there,” McVay concluded.

From Los Angeles Times

Helluva deal, helluva team, and the gods are just getting started.

From Los Angeles Times

“Make a helluva movie,” said Cignetti.

From Los Angeles Times

“You make a helluva lot more money with a weaker dollar,” the president said in July.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I was born to coach. I’m a helluva coach. Nobody gave me that and nobody can take it away.”

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023