Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “glitch” come from?

Glitch comes from Yiddish גליטש, from German glitschig meaning slippery, formed with the German adjectival suffix -ig ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European -kos.

glitch (English): A problem affecting function; An unexpected...

Definitions

  1. A problem affecting function; An unexpected...

Ancestry of “glitch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Yiddishגליטשslippery area; skating rink
2Germanglitschigslippery, slick, greasy, slimy, squidgy
3German-ig-y; forms adjectives from nouns; forms adjectives...
4German-jährigyears old; years lasting
5GermanJahryear
6Middle High Germanjāryear
7Old High Germanjāryear
8Proto-West Germanicjāryear
9Proto-Germanicjērąyear; name of the J-rune
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₁r-year

Words derived from “glitch”

  • glitchy
  • glitchless
  • microglitch
  • glitchiness
  • glitchily
  • glitchfest
  • glitchcore
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₁r- →