A gremlin is a tiny imaginary evil spirit that people say is the cause of a problem, especially in a machine, which they cannot explain properly or locate.
The microphones went dead as if the technical gremlins had struck again.
gremlin in British English
(ˈɡrɛmlɪn)
noun
1.
an imaginary imp jokingly said to be responsible for malfunctions in machinery
2.
any mischievous troublemaker
Word origin
C20: perhaps a corruption of goblin
gremlin in American English
(ˈgrɛmlɪn)
noun
a small imaginary creature humorously blamed for the faulty operation of airplanes or the disruption of any procedure
Word origin
prob. < Dan *græmling, imp, dim. of obs gram, a devil < ON gramr, angry, akin to OE gremian, to enrage: for IE base see grim
Examples of 'gremlin' in a sentence
gremlin
Get to know and understand your own argumentative little gremlin who spoils almost everything you do.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)