glitch
/ˈɡlɪt͡ʃ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.45 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An unexpected behavior in an electrical signal, especially if the signal spontaneously returns to expected behavior after a period of time.
Countable; Informal
noun
A genre of experimental electronic music since the 1990s, characterized by a deliberate use of sonic artifacts that would normally be viewed as unwanted noise.
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "They are still trying to work out all the glitches."
- "Glitches—a spaceman’s word for irritating disturbances."
- "A déjà vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something."
- "Some claimed on Monday that Foodpanda's account deletion system reported being under maintenance and could not process their request. It is unclear if the flock of requests had created a system failure, or Foodpanda had cut access on purpose, or the timing was merely a coincidence. The glitch only added fuel to online sympathizers' outrage."
- "Another term we adopted to describe some of our problems was "glitch." 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. You have probably noticed a dimming of lights in your home when you turn a switch or start the dryer or the television set."
- "Performing this glitch gives you extra lives."
Etymology
Probably borrowed from Yiddish גליטש (glitsh), from German glitschig (“slippy”), from glitschen (“to slide, glide, slip”) + -ig (“-y”). Related to gleiten (“glide”). Cognate with French glisser (“to slip, slide, skid”). Popularized in the 1960s, by the US space program. Attested in 1962 by American astronaut John Glenn, in reference to spikes in electrical current.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: glitschig