kludge

Definition of kludge

5 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

noun

(informal)An improvised device, typically crudely constructed to test the validity of a principle before implementing a finished design.

See all 5 definitions

noun

(informal)An improvised device, typically crudely constructed to test the validity of a principle before implementing a finished design.
(informal)Any construction or practice, typically crude yet effective, designed to solve a problem temporarily or expediently.
(informal)An amalgamated mass of unrelated parts.
(informal)A badly written or makeshift piece of software; a hack.

verb

(informal, transitive)To build or use a kludge.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“key, clue, main…

See full etymology

Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“key, clue, main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”). Alternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.) There is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by an article in Datamation "How to Design a Kludge" (1962), and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other. According to the OED, an "invented word" influenced by bodge and fudge.

Anagrams of kludge

1 play · all valid Scrabble

KLUGED 12 pts

Words you can make from kludge

35 playable · top: KLUGED (12 pts)

Best play kluged 12 points

5-letter words

4 words

4-letter words

10 words

3-letter words

17 words

2-letter words

3 words

Hooks

3 extensions · 3 back

A single letter you can add to kludge to make another valid word.