gremlin
gremlin — noun
- gremlinsingular
- gremlinsplural
1. In folklore and jokes, a tiny mischievous being that people playfully accuse of
In folklore and jokes, a tiny mischievous being that people playfully accuse of breaking machines or causing electronic faults.
A gremlin had gotten into the plane's radio system, the pilot told the crew.
blamed + gremlin + got into + [machine]
Niran joked that a gremlin had jammed the office printer three times that morning.
Amira blamed a gremlin when her laptop screen turned black during the big presentation.
Some old mechanics say a gremlin likes to hide inside the wiring of vintage cars.
Valentina found no broken part — she laughed, calling it a gremlin in the gears.
- goblin
a broader folklore creature not specifically tied to machines; goblins cause general mischief rather than technical faults
- imp
a small mischievous creature in folklore, but without the strong aviation/mechanical association that gremlin carries
- glitch
not a creature; a glitch is the actual technical problem, whereas a gremlin is the imaginary cause people jokingly blame
用法筆記
The word originated as Royal Air Force slang during World War II and is still used light-heartedly, not as a serious technical explanation. It almost always appears with a verb of blaming or claiming (blame, say, joke, call it).