A short test of knowledge; an informal examination with questions.
Origin uncertain, possibly from Latin 'quis' meaning who, or from Irish 'quiz' meaning jest. First appeared in English around 1780s, possibly as theatrical slang. The educational meaning developed in the 19th century.
Legend claims that 'quiz' was invented in 1780s Dublin when a theater manager bet he could introduce a nonsense word into common usage overnight by having it chalked on walls throughout the city. Whether true or not, this story perfectly captures the playful, slightly mysterious nature of the word itself.
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