What does gremlin mean?

Definitions for gremlin
ˈgrɛm lɪngrem·lin

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word gremlin.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. elf, hob, gremlin, pixie, pixy, brownie, impnoun

    (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous

Wiktionary

  1. gremlinnoun

    A mythical creature reputed to be mechanically inclined and mischievously inclined to damage or dismantle machinery.

  2. gremlinnoun

    By extension, any mysterious, unknown source of trouble or mischief.

  3. Etymology: Possibly from Old English grëmian ("to vex", "to anger"), related to German grämen and Swedish gräma ("to grieve").

Wikipedia

  1. Gremlin

    A gremlin is a mischievous folkloric creature that causes malfunctions in aircraft or other machinery. Depictions of these creatures vary. Often, they are described or depicted as animals with spiky backs; large, strange eyes; and small, clawed frames featuring sharp teeth.Since World War II, different fantastical creatures have been referred to as gremlins, bearing varying degrees of resemblance to the originals. The term "gremlin", denoting a mischievous creature that sabotages aircraft, originates in Royal Air Force (RAF) slang among the British pilots stationed in Malta, the Middle East, and India in the 1920s, with the earliest recorded printed use being in a poem published in the journal Aeroplane in Malta on 10 April 1929. Later sources have sometimes claimed that the concept goes back to World War I, but there is no print evidence of this.

ChatGPT

  1. gremlin

    A gremlin is a mythical creature commonly depicted in folklore and popular culture as a mischievous imp that is believed to cause malfunctions in machinery, particularly in aircrafts. The term is also used more broadly to describe any unseen entity with an ability to cause disruptions or problems. It originated from British Royal Air Force slang in the 1920s, used to blame inexplicable mechanical failures on these fantastical beings.

Wikidata

  1. Gremlin

    A gremlin is an imaginary creature commonly depicted as mischievous and mechanically oriented, with a specific interest in aircraft. Gremlins' mischievous natures are similar to those of English folkloric imps, while their inclination to damage or dismantle machinery is more modern.

Matched Categories

How to pronounce gremlin?

How to say gremlin in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of gremlin in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of gremlin in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of gremlin in a Sentence

  1. Molly Bair:

    I'm kind of, I guess, embracing that alien, rat, demon, goblin, gremlin sort of vibe and going with it.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

gremlin#10000#53419#100000

Translations for gremlin

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for gremlin »

Translation

Find a translation for the gremlin definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"gremlin." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/gremlin>.

Discuss these gremlin definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for gremlin? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Image or illustration of

    gremlin

    Credit »

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Browse Definitions.net

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    without the natural or usual covering
    A elaborate
    B denudate
    C cleave
    D rumpus

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for gremlin: