jeez

UK: dʒiːz | US: dʒiːz

Definition

  1. interj. an exclamation expressing surprise, frustration, or annoyance (a mild euphemism for "Jesus")

Structure
Jes <Jesus>Jes <Jesus>
Etymology

"Jeez" originated in the early 20th century as a euphemistic alteration of "Jesus," avoiding direct religious reference while retaining expressive force. Its evolution reflects societal taboos around invoking sacred names in trivial contexts. The spelling shift ("Jeez" vs. "Jes") mimics colloquial pronunciation and aligns with similar exclamations like "gee" or "gosh."

Examples

  1. "Jeez, that was close!"

  2. "Jeez, I didn’t expect it to rain today."

  3. "Oh jeez, I forgot my keys again."

  4. "Jeez, calm down—it’s just a game."

  5. "Jeez, this traffic is unbearable."