whiz

[/wɪz/]
noun, verb, adjectivepl: whizzes
gênio, especialista, sibilo
1. A person who is extremely skilled or knowledgeable in a particular field
She is a math whiz and always gets perfect scores.
Ela é uma gênio em matemática e sempre tira notas perfeitas.
2. To move quickly with a whistling or hissing sound
The bullet whizzed past his ear.
A bala passou zunindo perto de sua orelha.
3. A state of rapid movement or success
He was a whiz at programming.
Ele era um especialista em programação.
In American English and Brazilian Portuguese, 'whiz' is commonly used in informal settings to praise someone's expertise, especially in technology and academics. The term 'whiz kid' became particularly popular in the 1960s-70s to describe young computer programmers. In Brazil, 'gênio' and 'expert' are more formal equivalents, while 'fera' (beast) serves as a colloquial alternative in casual speech.
NYC Slang
whiz kid, genius, ace
Synonyms / Sinônimos
expertgeniusprodigywizardacevirtuoso
Antonyms / Antônimos
noviceamateurbunglerincompetent

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
gênio, especialista, expert
Commonly used in informal contexts to describe someone very skilled
Rio de Janeiro
fera, gênio
More colloquial usage, 'fera' is very common in Rio slang
São Paulo
expert, especialista
More formal business and technical contexts
Portugal
especialista, perito, gênio
'Whiz' is less commonly used; more formal alternatives preferred

Related Words

whizzwhizzerwhizzyexpertiseskillproficiency

Related Idioms & Phrases

whiz kid - a young person who is exceptionally talented or intelligent
whiz bang - something excellent or impressive
take a whiz - to urinate (vulgar slang)
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