WordGarden.iogremlin
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡrˈɛmlɪn/
US
- /ˈɡrɛmlən/
Meanings
Noun
an imaginary mischievous creature blamed for trouble or mechanical failures
a small unexplained fault or problem in a machine or technical system
an insulting label for a troublesome, strange, or unattractive person
Beyond the definition
The word "gremlin" first referred to a small, mischievous creature that British Royal Air Force pilots in World War II blamed for trouble in their aircraft. These creatures were not usually meant to be real. They were a playful way to explain strange mechanical problems and bad luck. Today, "gremlin" is used more broadly for a hidden cause of trouble, especially when machines or technology start acting strangely. You can think of it as a humorous name for an unexplained glitch.
You might say, "There's a gremlin in the printer. It keeps jamming!" or "My car has gremlins today," meaning there are frustrating problems that are hard to explain. The word usually suggests playful annoyance, not real danger. People often use it to make a technical problem sound less serious.
The story of the "gremlin" began in wartime Britain. Royal Air Force pilots flying dangerous missions over enemy territory started whispering about small, mischievous creatures that lived on and inside their planes. These weren't malicious beings, but playful sprites who enjoyed causing minor chaos—loosening bolts, tangling wires, or simply making things difficult at inconvenient times. Pilots blamed gremlins for everything from engine trouble to radio malfunctions, using the myth as a way of coping with the unpredictable nature of flight and the anxieties of war.
Roald Dahl, who was himself an RAF pilot, helped popularize the concept in his 1943 book The Gremlins, giving these creatures distinct personalities and motivations. While the original gremlins were tied strictly to aviation, the word has since evolved. Today, we use "gremlin" to describe any hidden problem or unseen cause that makes things malfunction, particularly technology.
A "gremlin" might be a persistent bug in software, an unexplained error message on your computer, or even just a general feeling of technological frustration. You could say, "The internet connection has been plagued by gremlins all day," meaning it has been unreliable and frustrating. It is often used with a touch of humor to acknowledge the inexplicable quirks of modern machines.
Unlike a serious technical issue requiring expert repair, a "gremlin" suggests something minor but irritating—a little bit of chaos that needs to be tamed. So, the next time your technology acts up, don't despair! Just blame it on the gremlins and try restarting everything.
Examples
- 1
Childhood stories
As a kid, he loved stories about gremlins hiding in airplane engines.
- 2
Printer problems
There must be a gremlin in this printer; it jams every time I need it.
- UsageThere must be a gremlin in ...
a humorous way to say something keeps going wrong for no clear reason
- 3
Technical problems
A few technical gremlins delayed the start of the livestream.
- 4
Testing
We fixed one problem, but more gremlins showed up during testing.
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- gremlinnoun
Forms
- gremlinspluralnoun