Word of the Day

: August 17, 2025

glitch

noun GLITCH

What It Means

Glitch is an informal word referring to an unexpected and usually minor problem. It is used especially for a minor problem with a machine or device, such as a computer.

// The email went out to everyone in the company because of a technical glitch.

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glitch in Context

“Britain’s postal system, once overseen directly by a government minister, became a (government-owned) statutory corporation in 1970. In time, parts of it were spun off—since the days of Margaret Thatcher, the nation has pursued privatization more aggressively than most other countries—and the legal and oversight structure was subjected to continual tinkering. In a deal originating as a ‘public-private partnership’ arrangement, the Post Office in the late 1990s computerized its accounting and other operations. ... Glitches in the software soon resulted in hundreds of rural postmasters being falsely accused of theft and summarily fired.” — Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 3 June 2025

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.