quiz

[ kwiz ]

noun

, plural quiz·zes.

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, quiz·zing.

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

Derived Forms

• ˈquizzer, noun

Other Words From

• quizza·ble adjective
• quizzer noun
• un·quizza·ble adjective
• un·quizzed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quiz¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of quiz¹

C18: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Completing the entire course takes about 11 hours—yes, quizzes are included.

From Fortune

Sky, for example, launched its “Fanzone” online viewing experience that lets people watch sports and play quizzes together with family and friends.

From Digiday

Rummel says it provides free distance learning activities like multiplication quizzes and poetry tutorials for preschool through grade 12.

From Fortune

The company will now require all Revel users, including long-time users of the service, to take a 21-question safety training quiz and watch an instructional video before they can start their first ride.

From TechCrunch

In March, the Polish government launched a Minecraft server which packages quizzes and other educational activities, with each student allotted a plot of virtual land to construct buildings.

From Ozy

The premise of the sketch was that sex was too spontaneous to be regulated, and the quiz show played that idea to the hilt.

From The Daily Beast

Whenever I take a clickbait quiz to determine which of The Avengers I would be, I always game the questions to aim for the Hulk.

From The Daily Beast

Pop quiz: How many of the top 15 highest-U.S.-grossing movies of all time—adjusted for inflation—star comic-book characters?

From The Daily Beast

Take the quiz below and see if you can match the spouse to her post-scandal statement.

From The Daily Beast

I scored a 50 percent on that little quiz, which I have since learned is proof that I live under a boulder.

From The Daily Beast

So whilst we was eatin' breakfast I begins t' quiz, an', one way an' another, lets on I wanted t' see that Injun scout.

From Project Gutenberg

Robinson enrolled him in his police and it was the fashion openly to quiz, and secretly respect him.

From Project Gutenberg

Hardly had they taken their places when Napoleon began to quiz Betsy on the fondness of the English for "rosbif and plum pudding."

From Project Gutenberg

The Emperor continued to tease and quiz, pulling Betsy's ear or her dress, and always managing to escape being caught.

From Project Gutenberg

One day at the meet this young man said to Captain Bolton, "Let us quiz the old fellow."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• grill
• inquire
• interrogate
• investigate
• query