doozie

[ doo-zee ]
/ ˈdu zi /
Informal.

noun

Also doo·zer [doo-zer] /ˈdu zər/. something that is extraordinary or outstanding of its kind: The storm was a doozie, with winds of fifty miles an hour.

Verb Phrases past and past participle doo·zied, present participle doo·zi·ing.

doozie up, to make more attractive or appealing, as by adding features or ornaments, cleaning or repairing, or clothing brightly: You'll have to doozie up the house before you can sell it.

Origin of doozie

1925–30, Americanism; of uncertain origin; sometimes associated with the Duesenburg, a luxury auto, though the variant dozy precedes the appearance of the car in 1920

Words nearby doozie

VOCAB BUILDER

What does doozie mean?

Doozie is an American slang word for something that is superlative compared to others of its kind, especially something exceptionally big, difficult, extreme, or excellent.

Doozie can be used both positively and negatively, but it’s always used to indicate something that’s remarkable. A less-common variant of doozie is doozer. Doozie is also used in the phrase doozie up, meaning to make something look nicer, similar to spruce up, but this is rarer.

Example: You better start studying, because Mrs. Jefferson is known for making the last exam a doozie.

Where does doozie come from?

The first recorded uses of doozie come from the 1920s, but its origin is uncertain. Doozie is sometimes thought to be a reference to a luxury car called the Duesenberg, but an earlier variant, dozy, was used before the Duesenberg was introduced. Another theory is that doozie is an altered form of the word daisy, which was an earlier slang term for something or someone considered the best.

Doozie is often used to say that something is extraordinary (in a good way), as in That party was a real doozie! But it’s also used in negative ways, especially to say how difficult something is, as in This track is a doozie, so be careful around those turns. It can also be used in a way that simply indicates that something is exceptional or remarkable, as in Stay indoors, folks, because this storm is going to be a doozie or That was a doozie of an episode—I had no idea how it was going to end. 

Although it’s less common, doozie can be made plural, as in We just got the list of the witnesses, and they’re all doozies—the mayor herself is on there!

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of doozie?

  • doozer (variant)

How is doozie used in real life?

Doozie is used informally to describe really big, bad, or difficult things that are exceptional compared to others of the same kind. It’s very often used to describe big storms or hard tests.

Try using doozie!

Is doozie used correctly in the following sentence?

That storm was a doozie—it was like every other spring storm we get, with just an hour of rain and then it’s over.