Gremlin: meaning, definitions and examples
๐พ
gremlin
[ หษกrษm.lษชn ]
mythical creature
A gremlin is a mythical creature often depicted as mischievous and causing malfunctions in machinery. They are typically portrayed as small and impish, sometimes with a whimsical appearance. The term is commonly associated with the idea of gremlins sabotaging aircraft during World War II.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The aircraft experienced issues, and the pilots joked that it was the work of gremlins.
- In the movie, the gremlins wreak havoc after being fed after midnight.
- Old mechanics often blamed gremlins for unexplained machine breakdowns.
technical jargon
In technical contexts, 'gremlin' can refer to a problem or glitch that is difficult to identify or troubleshoot. It describes issues that seem to occur without any clear cause, often frustrating technicians.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The computer has a gremlin that crashes it randomly.
- Finding the software gremlin took hours of debugging.
- She finally identified the gremlin that was causing the network failure.
Translations
Translations of the word "gremlin" in other languages:
๐ต๐น gremlin
๐ฎ๐ณ เคเฅเคฐเคนเคฃเคเคพเคฐเฅ
๐ฉ๐ช Gremlin
๐ฎ๐ฉ gremlin
๐บ๐ฆ ะณัะตะผะปัะฝ
๐ต๐ฑ gremlin
๐ฏ๐ต ใฐใฌใ ใชใณ
๐ซ๐ท gremlin
๐ช๐ธ gremlin
๐น๐ท gremlin
๐ฐ๐ท ๊ทธ๋ ๋ฆฐ
๐ธ๐ฆ ุฌุฑู ูู
๐จ๐ฟ gremlin
๐ธ๐ฐ gremlin
๐จ๐ณ ๅฐ้ฌผ
๐ธ๐ฎ gremlin
๐ฎ๐ธ gremlin
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะณัะตะผะปะธะฝ
๐ฌ๐ช แแ แแแแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ gremlin
๐ฒ๐ฝ gremlin
Etymology
The word 'gremlin' is thought to have originated during World War II, used by Royal Air Force pilots to describe mysterious mechanical failures. Its first recorded usage was in 1941, and while the exact origin is uncertain, it may have been influenced by the old English term 'gremian', which means to vex or inflict harm. Gremlins became popular in folklore during the 20th century, often depicted as small creatures responsible for sabotaging military planes. The concept gained further popularity in culture through various forms of media, especially films and cartoons, showcasing gremlins as mischievous beings. Over time, the term expanded beyond its original context, now often used informally to describe any unexplained problem, particularly in technology.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranking #39,581, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.
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