"Where did you get that quiz of a hat? It makes you look like an old witch."
Alert Janeite Lisa let us know that yesterday’s “Word Nerd” word of the day was quiz.
Although the origin of “quiz” is unknown and probably not discoverable at this point, it has an interesting history and has had a wide range of applications. For instance, in the past it has signified something peculiar or someone whose appearance or behavior has marked him or her as eccentric in character or appearance. In her satirical novel “Northanger Abbey,” begun in 1798 but not published until 1818, Jane Austen characterized an unusual hat as a “quiz of a hat.” This sense seems to have been generally current at the time, for a “quiz” then could also signify a practical joke or a witticism. This usage seems close to the sense in which Austen used the word. Also during that period some children’s toys were known as “quizzes.”
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