quizzical en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree English quiz Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ic Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ical English -ical English quizzical From quiz + -ical.
Meanings
-
Questioning or suggesting puzzlement.
But I did see things that aren't yet quite right, and at which I raised a quizzical eyebrow.
2022 July 27, Sir Michael Holden, “In praise of Crossrail 1... and in search of Crossrail 2”, in RAIL, number 962, page 34:Miss Moneypenny would have been desirable but for eyes which were cool and direct and quizzical.
1953, Ian Fleming, “Number 007”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 23:
- Strange or eccentric.
- Jocose; humorous.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most quizzical | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more quizzical | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
quizzicalness · quizzicality · quizzically