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Definition of gremlin

gremlin

/ˈɡrɛm.lɪn/
grem · lin
Plural:gremlins
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gremlin Lexical Profile

gremlin Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An imaginary mischievous sprite or creature invented by early twentieth-century aviators to explain mysterious mechanical malfunctions in aircraft or other machinery.

Example

"The veteran pilot joked that a mischievous gremlin must have been hiding inside the cockpit's instrument panel."

2

An unexplained, elusive problem or fault in a mechanical, electronic, or operational system.

Example

"Broadcast engineers spent hours tracking down a technical gremlin that kept disrupting the live audio feed."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for gremlin

• Rhymes for gremlin

• Nearby Words

gregarious
gregariously
gregariousness
gremlin
grenada
grenade
grenadian

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the 1920s as Royal Air Force slang for an imaginary creature blamed for unexplained aircraft malfunctions, possibly blending 'goblin' with 'Fremlin', the name of a British brewery popular among aviators.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Gremlin. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/gremlin
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