quiz

American  

[kwiz] / kwɪz /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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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

Etymology

Origin of quiz

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

Example Sentences

The workshop also included a quiz and a chance to make a hair care mask from natural products including avocados, yoghurt and honey.

From BBC

The friends quiz each other in a group chat before competitions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Max paused and studied the sky, like you looked to the classroom ceiling for hope during a math pop quiz.

From Literature

It was not all news: Soviets could tune in to Western rock music, hear extracts from banned literature and even, for a brief time, take part in quizzes.

From BBC

Then I ask the AI to quiz me on it, Socratically, pressing me on the connections I missed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• grill
• inquire
• interrogate
• investigate
• query