Words at Play : Top 10 Authorisms
Definition:
: a cause of error or equipment malfunction (as in aircraft) conceived of as a small mischievous gnome
About the Word:
Coined by the Royal Naval Air Service sometime during World War I, this word was made known by a children's book called The Gremlins: A Royal Air Force Story, written in 1943 by Roald Dahl. According to the story, a gremlin is a small creature that causes mechanical problems.
From Authorisms, by Paul Dickson. More information available at PaulDicksonBooks.com.
Photo credit: Wikimedia.
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