# gremlin

/ˈɡɹɛmɫən/ (US) · /ɡɹˈɛmlɪn/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gremlin
Updated: 2026-10-17

## Definition

a small imaginary creature that loves to cause trouble with machines. You use it when something stops working for no clear reason.

For teachers: a small mischievous imaginary creature blamed for unexplained mechanical failures or malfunctions. Extended by metaphor to any elusive technical fault that appears and disappears without clear cause.

## Examples

- A gremlin in the printer stops my papers.
- The mechanic joked that a gremlin hides in the engine because the car stalls only on cold mornings.
- After the third unexplained shutdown, the engineers blamed a gremlin in the software that vanished whenever they tried to trace the error.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.