different between prodigy vs whiz

English

Etymology

From Middle English prodige (“portent”), from Latin pr?digium (“omen, portent, prophetic sign”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??d?d?i/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p??d?d?i/
• Hyphenation: prod?i?gy

Noun

prodigy (plural prodigies)

1. (now rare) An extraordinary thing seen as an omen; a portent. [from 15th c.]
   • 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, p. 87:

     John Foxe believed that special prodigies had heralded the Reformation.
2. An extraordinary occurrence or creature; an anomaly, especially a monster; a freak. [from 16th c.]
3. An amazing or marvellous thing; a wonder. [from 17th c.]
4. A wonderful example of something. [from 17th c.]
5. An extremely talented person, especially a child. [from 17th c.]

Synonyms

• (extremely talented person): wunderkind, girl wonder, girl-genius, boy-genius, boy wonder, child prodigy.

Related terms

Translations

See also

• precocious
• prodigal
• child prodigy
• prodigy house

Further reading

• prodigy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• prodigy in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• prodigy at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /w?z/
• Rhymes: -?z

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic. Compare huzz, hizz, hiss.

Alternative forms

• wiz, wizz, whizz

Verb

whiz (third-person singular simple present whizzes, present participle whizzing, simple past and past participle whizzed)

1. To make a whirring or hissing sound, similar to that of an object speeding through the air.
2. To rush or move swiftly with such a sound.
3. To throw or spin rapidly.
4. (vulgar, slang) To urinate.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:urinate

   • 1990, Stephen King, The Moving Finger

     The first thing Howard did following Vi's departure was to haul the step-stool over to the kitchen sink and whiz into the drain again.

Derived terms

• whizzle

Translations

Noun

whiz (countable and uncountable, plural whizzes)

1. A whirring or hissing sound (as above).
2. (informal) Someone who is remarkably skilled at something.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:skilled person
3. (vulgar, slang, especially with the verb "take") An act of urination.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:urination

4. (Britain, slang, uncountable) Amphetamine.
5. (Britain, slang, with "the") Pickpocketing.
   • 2003, David W. Maurer, Whiz Mob (page 40)

     This type of pickpocket, it should be noted, is passing from the scene; most class cannons now operating are old-timers. “The only youngsters I see breaking in on the whiz are jigs, and they are coining a bebop lingo that is something. […]

Derived terms

• take a whiz
• whiz kid
• whizzer

Translations

Etymology 2

See with.

Preposition

whiz

1. (slang) Pronunciation spelling of with.