Wizard of Oz
Preserved but no longer current.
The central figure in a very popular children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, (1900) by Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919), a well-known American journa- list. The musical comedy of the same name (1901) was a great success, which was carried on to the film of some years later.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Wizard of Oz” mean?
The central figure in a very popular children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, (1900) by Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919), a well-known American journa- list. The musical comedy of the same name (1901) was a great success, which was carried on to the film of some years later.
Is “Wizard of Oz” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.