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Word of the Day:
KLUDGE (v. KLUDGED, KLUDGING, KLUDGES) (n. pl. -S)
Definition(s):
- (v.) to put together from ill-fitting components
- (n.) a system, especially a computer system, composed of poorly matched elements or components
- (n.) a clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem; a messy or poorly constructed, but valid, solution to a problem or task
Useful info for word game players:
- Front hooks: (none)
- Back hooks: -D, -S, -Y
- Anagrams: KLUGED
- Longer extensions: (none)
- Wraparounds: (none)
- Other Spellings: KLUGE
- Related Forms: KLUDGY, KLUDGEY, KLUDGIER, KLUDGIEST
Current theme:
No theme this week — just a few random selections from the good wordbook
Epilogue:
Just about any computer geek will know this curious word, but it may be less familiar to those who do not deal so frequently with 0’s and 1’s. As a noun, a KLUDGE (or KLUGE) is a fix or solution involving poorly matched or inelegant components. To do such a fix is to KLUDGE or KLUGE (verb). Something so put together might be described as KLUDGEY or KLUDGY (adj.). Many computer techs enjoy creating a good kludge, which is sometimes a very effective solution to a problem. As one technical book put it: “Any respectable in-house IT department will have a few kludges in its bag of tricks to keep the network running, and they ought to be proud of that fact” (Peter Rybaczyk, Cisco Network Design Solutions for Small-Medium Businesses).
The history of this word is, appropriately, a bit of a messy mystery. Among the sources that have been proposed are the German kluge (“clever or smart”), the Polish or Russian klucz (“key or main point”), the Scottish kludgie (“common toilet”), and the name of an otherwise forgotten computer programmer. In any case, the word is a perfect fit for a common modern phenomenon. It started to be used regularly in the mid-twentieth century, and it remains popular among programmers and computer wonks today.
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