gee whiz

¹

interjection

, Informal.

1. gee ².

gee-whiz

²

[ jee-hwiz, -wiz ]

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.

gee-whiz

adjective

1. informal.
   impressive or amazing

   gee-whiz special effects

Word History and Origins

Origin of gee whiz¹

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

Origin of gee whiz²

First recorded in 1930–35

Word History and Origins

Origin of gee whiz¹

C20: from gee ²

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

For its day — 1921 — it was probably a stylish, gee-whiz place but today it’s a large, rather lumbering-looking mock Tudor house.

From Los Angeles Times

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

“That’s the kind of problem solving that is needed,” he wrote in June, “as opposed to public outreach that is cheerleading for the kind of gee-whiz bullet train that has become a costly boondoggle in California.”

From Seattle Times

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

Made with the league’s complete cooperation, not to mention its spiritual blessing, this is an earnest and way-contrived endeavor that manages, due largely to Costner’s efforts, to be genially diverting in a gee-whiz kind of way.

From Los Angeles Times