Home » Segments » “Doozy” is Not from the Car

“Doozy” is Not from the Car

On a previous episode, we discussed the origins of doozy, and boy did we get some responses! Many of you called and wrote to say that the Duesenberg luxury car is the source of the term. While the car’s reputation for automotive excellence may have reinforced the use of term, the problem is that the word doozy appears in print at least as early as 1903. The car, however, wasn’t widely available until about 1920. This is part of a complete episode.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

1 comment
  • I think the word comes from the Polish word “duza” which means large. When I remember hearing the word in the 1970’s, it usually meant something especially large or difficult. The appearance of the word in English coincides with a time when many Polish and eastern European immigrants were coming to this country.

More from this show

Going on Buxtehude

Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...

Recent posts