quiz

[kwiz]

noun

plural

quizzes 

1. an informal test or examination of a student or class.

2. a questioning.

3. a practical joke; a hoax.

4. Chiefly British.,  an eccentric, often odd-looking person.

verb (used with object)

quizzed, quizzing 

1. to examine or test (a student or class) informally by questions.

2. to question closely.

   The police quizzed several suspects.

3. Chiefly British.,  to make fun of; ridicule; mock; chaff.

quiz

/ kwɪz /

noun

1. 1. an entertainment in which the general or specific knowledge of the players is tested by a series of questions, esp as a radio or television programme

   2. ( as modifier )

      a quiz programme

2. any set of quick questions designed to test knowledge

3. an investigation by close questioning; interrogation

4. obsolete,  a practical joke; hoax

5. obsolete,  a puzzling or eccentric individual

6. obsolete,  a person who habitually looks quizzically at others, esp through a small monocle

verb

1. to investigate by close questioning; interrogate

2. informal,  to test or examine the knowledge of (a student or class)

3. obsolete,  (tr) to look quizzically at, esp through a small monocle

Other Word Forms

• quizzable adjective
• quizzer noun
• unquizzable adjective
• unquizzed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quiz¹

1775–85 in sense “odd person”; 1840–50 quiz for def. 1; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of quiz¹

C18: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

And in a post-COVID world, people aren’t looking to be quizzed on cocktail history; they want something light, bright, and uncomplicated.

Read more on Salon

They host pub quizzes, Christmas dinners and various other events.

Read more on BBC

They include interviews with parents and children, a range of cognitive tasks, such as recalling a sequence of numbers backwards, general knowledge quizzes, and personality and emotional testing.

Read more on BBC

When Burnham was quizzed on Lewis's offer, he refused to rule out a leadership bid he insisted he was "fully focused" on his current role.

Read more on BBC

It’s supper time where Plant is phoning from his hotel room, and after a dinner down the road, he’s planning to attend a “general knowledge quiz.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• grill 
• inquire 
• interrogate 
• investigate 
• query