gremlin
The origin and history of gremlin.
Etymology
Origin uncertain — possibly a twist on "goblin," though the word only became widely known after Roald Dahl's 1943 story The Gremlins, about mischievous creatures sabotaging RAF planes.
Class of 1943
gremlin first entered the language around 1943. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1943 →