Whiz Imitates the Sound and Then Means Expert
To whiz is to move with a rushing sound. A whiz is also someone remarkably skilled.
To whiz is to move rapidly with a rushing or hissing sound; a whiz is also a person of exceptional skill. The word is imitative, and the expert sense is twentieth-century American — probably from the idea of someone operating at speed, though it may also be influenced by *wizard*, which it resembles. *Whiz kid* combines both. English has a substantial family of *wh-* words imitating rushing air: *whiz*, *whir*, *whoosh*, *whistle*, *wheeze*, *whip* and *whack*.
- To rush past. *Whizzing by.*
- A rushing sound. *The whiz of an arrow.*
- An expert. *A maths whiz.*
- Whiz kid. *A whiz kid.*
- Imitative origin. *The 1500s.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | whiz | Whizzing. |
| Noun | whiz | A whiz. |
| Variant | whizz | Whizz. |
| Compound | whiz kid | A whiz kid. |
| Related | wizard | A wizard. |
- A car whizzed past.Motion.
- She is a whiz at chess.Skill.
- The arrow whizzed by.Sound.
The wh- sound family
- Whiz — a fast rushing hiss
- Whir — a continuous soft buzz
- Whoosh — a single rush of air
- Wheeze — laboured breathing
- Whistle — a sustained high note
Imitative, recorded from the 1500s; the expert sense is American, from the twentieth century.
Why does whiz mean an expert?
Probably from the idea of operating at speed, possibly reinforced by its resemblance to wizard.
Is it spelled whiz or whizz?
Both are accepted. Whizz is more common in British English, whiz in American.