gee whiz

gee whiz

noun Informal.
gee2.

Origin:
1880–85, Americanism; apparently euphemistic alteration of Jesus, with final syllable replaced by whiz1

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Gee whiz is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

gee-whiz

[jee-hwiz, -wiz]
adjective Informal.
arousing or characterized by surprise, wonder, or triumphant achievement: a gee-whiz technology; a gee-whiz reaction to the sight of the Grand Canyon.

Origin:
1930–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To gee whiz
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

gee whiz

An expression of surprise, dismay, or enthusiasm. For example, Gee whiz, Dad, I thought you'd let me borrow the car, or Gee whiz, they finally won the Series! This term is thought to be a euphemism for "Jesus Christ." [Slang; 1870s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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