Quiz

Table of contents

1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.1.1 Etymology 1.2 Noun 1.2.1 Translations 1.3 Etymology 1.4 Transitive verb 1.4.1 Translations

English

Pronunciation

• SAMPA: /kwIz/
• IPA: /kwɪz/

Etymology

The true etymology is unknown. The following have all been proposed:

1. Reputed without evidence to have been invented by a late 18th century Dublin theatre proprietor who bet he could add a new nonsense word to the English language. He thus had the word painted on walls all over the city. The morning after, everyone was talking about the new word.
2. The original meaning is interrogation (1867), being derived from the verb. Current meaning only since 1941.
3. Originally quies (1847), may have derived from Latin qui es? (who are you?), traditionally the first question in oral Latin exams. Used as a noun from 1867, spelling quiz first recorded in 1886.

Noun

quiz (plural quizzes)

1. A competition in the answering of questions.

Translations

• Dutch: quiz
• French: quiz m
• German: Quiz, Ratespiel
• Italian: quiz m
• Spanish: prueba f, quiz m
• Vietnamese: thi

Etymology

The meaning "hoax" is the original (1796), shifting to the meaning "interrogate" (1847) under the influence of to question and inquisitive .

Transitive verb

1. (archaic) To hoax.
2. To question closely, to interrogate .

Translations

hoax See hoax

interrogate

Spanish: probar , examinar