doozy
UK[ˈduːzi]US[ˈduːzi]
n
something that is an extreme or remarkable example of its kind, especially something outstandingly bad or difficult.
Etymology
The word 'doozy' is a 20th-century American slang term with an etymological journey rooted in popular culture rather than classical morphology. It derives from "Duesenberg," the name of a prestigious, high-quality American automobile manufactured in the early 1900s. In the slang of the era, "a real Duesy" meant something outstanding or splendid. Over time, the spelling shifted to 'doozy,' and its meaning broadened to refer to any extreme or remarkable example, often with a connotation of being daunting, difficult, or spectacularly bad. Thus, a word born from brand-name admiration evolved into a colloquial term for an extraordinary specimen of any kind.
Analysis
This word is a simplex. It is an alteration of the name "Duesenberg," a luxury automobile, used in the slang phrase "a real doozy."
Examples
That last question on the exam was a real doozy.
We hit a doozy of a pothole on the drive home.
He told a doozy of a story that had everyone laughing.