The word 'quiz' may stem from an 18th-century Irish prank
The word 'quiz,' meaning a test or eccentric person, is believed by some to have originated from a clever 1781 bet in Dublin that spread it overnight through graffiti.
The English word 'quiz' might have originated from a legendary 1781 prank in Dublin, Ireland. A theater owner, James Daly, allegedly bet he could make a new word common overnight. He hired boys to chalk 'quiz' across the city, sparking widespread curiosity.
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