gremlin

[ grem-lin ]

noun

1. a mischievous invisible being, said by airplane pilots in World War II to cause engine trouble and mechanical difficulties.
2. any cause of trouble, difficulties, etc., especially in a mechanical, electrical, computer, or other system:

   A loose wire was the gremlin that blew out the lights.

gremlin

/ ˈɡrɛmlɪn /

noun

1. an imaginary imp jokingly said to be responsible for malfunctions in machinery
2. any mischievous troublemaker

Word History and Origins

Origin of gremlin¹

First recorded in 1925–30; of obscure origin; in its earliest attested use, an RAF term for a low-ranking officer or enlisted man assigned the most onerous duties; later development perhaps affected by phonetic resemblance to goblin

Word History and Origins

Origin of gremlin¹

C20: perhaps a corruption of goblin

Synonym Study

See goblin.

Example Sentences

Johnson knew that when he made his return, that song, and a chorus line of mental gremlins, would be waiting.

From BBC

Seven was almost positive Valley was a cuco or, at the very least, part gremlin.

From Literature

Whatever qualms I had were the kind of technical gremlins that taunt any opening night.

From Washington Post

“I’m calling it a little gremlin in my ribcage,” Turner joked.

From Los Angeles Times

Or might the notoriously finicky electrical systems in British vehicles bedevil these vehicles with compounded gremlins?

From New York Times

Related Words

• goblin