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• gee whiz
  gee whiz

  interjection

  gee.
• gee-whiz
  gee-whiz

  adjective

  arousing or characterized by surprise, wonder, or triumphant achievement.

gee whiz

¹ American  

interjection

Informal.

1. gee.

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gee-whiz ² American  

[jee-hwiz, -wiz] / ˈdʒiˈʰwɪz, -ˈwɪz /

adjective

Informal.

1. arousing or characterized by surprise, wonder, or triumphant achievement.

   a gee-whiz technology; a gee-whiz reaction to the sight of the Grand Canyon.

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gee-whiz British  

adjective

1. informal impressive or amazing

   gee-whiz special effects

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gee whiz Idioms  

1. An expression of surprise, dismay, or enthusiasm. For example, Gee whiz, Dad, I thought you'd let me borrow the car, or Gee whiz, they finally won the Series! This term is thought to be a euphemism for “Jesus Christ.” [Slang; 1870s]

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Etymology

Origin of gee whiz¹

1880–85, apparently euphemistic alteration of Jesus, with final syllable replaced by whiz ¹

Origin of gee-whiz²

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gee whiz gee-whiz

I said, gee, whiz, I mean, I thought, I thought, that the world would come to an end.

From Scientific American ● Apr. 6, 2023

It seems fleeting at first, but gee whiz — it actually works out for these two!

From Washington Post ● Jul. 29, 2019

In all of those towns, and this was way pre-Trump, I think the main thing that struck us, after we got over the kind of gee whiz factor.

From Slate ● May 2, 2018

We may have more gee whiz features, but essential functions haven’t radically changed. 

From Forbes ● Jan. 23, 2013

If you'll drive it to Bridgeboro you can stay at my house and have breakfast and I'll tell Mr. Bartlett that you helped me, and gee whiz, they'll thank, you a lot.

From Pee-Wee Harris on the Trail by Fitzhugh, Percy Keese

To be fair, Altman, too, voices concerns, but in an almost gee-whiz wonderment that leaves no doubt he’s on the side of the robot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026

The mammoths would need to live in captivity, within fences or cordoned-off parks, and would be more gee-whiz examples of biotech than a species truly given a second shot at life on Earth.

From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2024

Can a coach from a different generation teach a youngster who “doesn’t give a gee-whiz about anybody” what football is all about in time for the make-or-break big game?

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2023

Reports on companies ranging from Amazon to Uber are not as likely to fall under the boosterish genre of gee-whiz technology stories these days.

From New York Times ● Nov. 7, 2021

Well, gee-whiz, I’d say they was under arrest now.

From Stepsons of Light by Rhodes, Eugene Manlove