gee whiz

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English

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Etymology

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Alteration of Jesus.

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (UK):(file)
  • IPA(key): /dʒiː wɪz/, /dʒiː ʍɪz/

Interjection

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gee whiz

  1. (US, dated) An expression of surprise, enthusiasm, or annoyance: wow or so what?
    You only got 10% in the test. Gee whiz – you'll get over it.
    • 1905, Lloyd Osbourne, Baby Bullet: The Bubble of Destiny, page 116:
      When people would get off they always gasped out: 'Gee whiz, what a horse! Gee whiz, did you ever see anything like that! '
    • 1959 April 23, “Beaver's Newspaper”, in Leave It to Beaver, season 2, episode 30 (television production), spoken by Theodore Cleaver (Jerry Mathers):
      Gee whiz, how do people have fun when they're married and have a family?
    • 1979, Walter Breen, The Darkover Concordance:
      That's the way I feel now; I just wrote the novels and made up the languages, and gee whiz, they make sense!

Adjective

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gee whiz

  1. (informal) Very good, impressive.
    These are some gee-whiz photographs.

Derived terms

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