quiz
Word family
- quizzernounC1
- quizzicaladjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
A quiz is a question-and-answer activity that tests knowledge in a playful or informal setting. A competition or contest can involve any skill — sports, art, or cooking — and is usually more formal, with clear rules and judging. A game has rules and a goal but may not test knowledge at all; chess is a game but not a quiz. A test evaluates learning in a serious academic context and is usually graded. For example: 'We won the pub quiz last night' (informal, fun), but 'She has a history test tomorrow' (academic, graded). 'The cooking contest was judged by three chefs' is skill-based, not knowledge-based.
Common collocations
Etymology
The origin of 'quiz' is famously uncertain. It first appeared in English around the 1780s, meaning 'an odd or eccentric person' — possibly from the Latin phrase 'Qui es?' ('Who are you?'), supposedly used by teachers in oral exams. By the mid-1800s, the meaning shifted to 'to mock or make fun of,' then to 'to question closely,' and finally to the modern sense of a test or knowledge game in the late 19th century, especially in American universities.