What Does the Word “Glitch” Mean and How Did the Term For an Unknown Computer Problem Originate?

Along with space exploration came new expressions that are now everyday language.

Astronauts said “affirmative” for yes, “check” to confirm a completed task, and “copy” to indicate that an instruction was understood.

The word “Glitch,” for an unexplained computer malfunction, was first used to describe the Mercury space capsule’s frustrating tendency to signal an emergency when none existed.

The word glitch is often used to refer to an unknown computer problem, and was popularized by several movies.