glitch

noun

ˈglich 

1

a

: a usually minor malfunction

a glitch in a spacecraft's fuel cell

also : bug entry 1 sense 2

b

: a minor problem that causes a temporary setback : snag

2

: a false or spurious electronic signal

glitchy

ˈgli-chē

adjective

Did you know?

There's a glitch in the etymology of glitch—it may come from the Yiddish glitsh, meaning "slippery place," but that's not certain. Print use of glitch referring to a brief unexpected surge of electrical current dates to the mid-20th century. Astronaut John Glenn, in his 1962 book Into Orbit, felt the need to explain the term to his readers: "Literally, a glitch is a spike or change in voltage in an electrical circuit which takes place when the circuit suddenly has a new load put on it." Today, the word can be used of any minor malfunction or snag. If you’re a gamer you might even take advantage of a glitch that causes something unexpected, and sometimes beneficial, to happen in the game.

Examples of glitch in a Sentence

Glitches in the speaker's schedule caused some delays.

A technical glitch caused a temporary shutdown.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Ocean, a competitor to Tesla’s Model Y, was released last year to mixed reviews; some praised its build and styling, but the car has been plagued by software glitches. —Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024

Partly as a result of the recent glitch, fewer students are seeking aid, and fewer still are likely to head back to school in the fall, say experts. —Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Yiddish glitsh slippery place, from glitshn (zikh) to slide, glide; akin to Old High German glītan to glide — more at glide

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

glitch

noun

ˈglich 

: an unexpected usually minor problem

glitches in a new computer program