glitch

Meanings

Noun

• A problem affecting function.
• An unexpected behavior in an electrical signal, especially if the signal spontaneously returns to expected behavior after a period of time.
• A bug or an exploit.
• 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.
• A sudden increase in the rotational frequency of a pulsar.

Verb

• To experience an unexpected, typically intermittent malfunction.
• To perform an exploit or recreate a bug while playing a video game.

Origin

• Probably from Yiddish גליטש, from German glitschig ("slippy"), from glitsch + -ig. Related to gleiten. Cognate with French glisser ("to slip, to slide, to skid").
• Popularized 1960s, by US space program. Attested 1962 by American astronaut John Glenn, in reference to spikes in electrical current.