fizz

Fizz is a bubbliness or bubbly quality, like the kind in a carbonated drink. A much more formal word for this is effervescence.

Fizz can also refer to the kind of hissing sound that such bubbliness makes or to the kind of drink that’s known for having fizz, like soda (pop), seltzer, and soda water (which is sometimes called fizzwater).

More specifically, the word fizz can refer to an alcoholic mixed drink containing liquor, fruit juice, sugar, and club soda. A classic example is a gin fizz.

Fizz is also a British slang term for champagne, which is known for bubbliness (it’s sometimes called bubbly for the same reason).

Fizz can also be used as a verb meaning to make a bubbling or hissing noise or to produce bubbles, as in That soda bottle may fizz a bit when you open it. 

Something that’s bubbly or fizzing can be described with the adjective fizzy.

Example: I like how the fizz tickles my nose as I’m drinking.

The first records of the word fizz come from the 1600s. It’s a shortening of the word fizzle, which comes from the Old Norse fīsa, meaning “to break wind.” It’s an example of onomatopoeia, which involves the formation of words in imitation of the sounds made by the things they refer to. Some synonyms of fizz are also examples of onomatopoeia, such as hiss and buzz.

Things can fizz or contain fizz for different reasons. It’s commonly due to carbonation, which involves the addition of carbon dioxide or carbonic acid to produce those lovely little bubbles that pop and fizz. Fizzing sounds don’t just happen in drinks though—dripping water into a fire or a hot pan will result in fizzy noises as the water turns into steam.

What are some other forms related to fizz?

• fizzy (adjective)
• fizziness (noun)
• fizzer (noun)

What are some synonyms for fizz?

• effervescence
• buzz
• effervesce
• fizzle
• froth
• hiss

What are some words that share a root or word element with fizz? 

• fizzle
• fizzwater

What are some words that often get used in discussing fizz?

• bubble
• carbonation
• crack
• drink
• soda
• pop
• sound
• water

Fizz is an informal word. It’s especially associated with carbonated drinks.

phil and i spent an hour trying to find a squeaking mouse in our kitchen and it turned out to be a bottle of fanta slowly releasing its fizz

— Daniel Howell (@danielhowell) August 19, 2015

Opened my energy drink like 10 mins ago, and it JUST NOW started to fizz and bubble like crazy. The delayed force is strong with this one.

— Thomas Lister (@sayo) September 27, 2010

Beer alert: @LeftHandBrewing recalls Milk Stout Nitro, says foreign yeast put too much fizz in the bottle https://t.co/K22MSEWW4V

— The Denver Post (@denverpost) September 12, 2016

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of fizz?

A. buzz
B. fizzle
C. flatten
D. froth