mid-15c., probably from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse hvoesa "to hiss," Danish hvæse cognate with Old English hwæst "act of blowing," hwosan "to cough," from an imitative root. Related: Wheezed; wheezing. The noun is first recorded 1834.
a clever wheeze probably succeeded in neutralizing the German espionage threat
wheelbarrow
wheelchair
wheel-house
wheelie
wheelwright
wheeze
wheezy
whelk
whelm
whelp
when