glitch
Americannoun
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a defect or malfunction in a machine or plan.
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Computers. any error, malfunction, or problem.
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a brief or sudden interruption or surge in voltage in an electric circuit.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a sudden instance of malfunctioning or irregularity in an electronic system
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a change in the rotation rate of a pulsar
Etymology
Origin of glitch
First recorded in 1960–65; perhaps from Yiddish glitsh “slippery area”; compare glitshn, German glitschen “to slip, slide”
Explanation
A glitch is a problem or malfunction, usually a temporary one, in a system or machine. Your science fair team might experience a major glitch in your plans if you lose your data tables as the result of a computer glitch. Glitch is a pretty new word, introduced in the 1960s when the science and technology of space flight was being developed. It originally meant a sudden surge of electrical current that caused a disturbance or malfunction. The word can also be used more broadly to describe any unexpected difficultly, like the glitch in your travel plans that resulted from airport delays.
Vocabulary lists containing glitch
English Words Derived from Yiddish
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This Week in Words: January 26 - February 1, 2019
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Out of My Mind
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Of course there are agreements for this to be done. But for some reason, here, there’s a glitch and I don’t know what it is,” Vera said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
France probes weather data glitch after surge in prediction-market bets.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026
It also mattered little that advanced AI visual generators -- now capable of churning out uncannily real-looking deepfakes within seconds -- have largely erased the once-telltale glitch of extra fingers.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Bank of Scotland said it was "investigating the issue," adding that it may be "the result of a technical glitch".
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
Woman operator in Bangalore after walking an American through a computer glitch: “Not a problem, Mr. Jassup. Thank you for your time. Take care. Bye-bye.”
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
