Definition

An unintended feature that makes your software do something hilariously or catastrophically wrong. The word comes from an actual moth found in a 1947 computer, which means the very first bug was literally a bug, and it's been downhill ever since.

Example Usage

"It's not a bug, it's a feature," said the developer, gaslighting the QA team with the confidence of someone whose code has never worked correctly.

Related Terms

Intermediate

cyber athlete

A term from the early 2000s describing professional or competitive video game players, before 'esports athlete' became the accepted nomenclature. It's charmingly dated, like calling the internet the 'information superhighway,' but it was a genuine attempt to legitimize gaming as sport.

💻 Tech / IT
Beginner

technical evangelism

The practice of advocating passionately for specific technologies or platforms, often involving conference talks, blog posts, and Twitter arguments. It's like regular evangelism but the deity is a JavaScript framework.

💻 Tech / IT
Advanced

Neural Network

A computing system inspired by the human brain, except it requires millions of dollars in hardware and still can't tell if a photo contains a dog or a muffin with 100 percent accuracy. It learns from data the way a toddler learns from experience -- chaotically and with frequent errors.

💻 Tech / IT
Intermediate

redirection

The automated sleight of hand that whisks users from one URL to another without asking permission, like a digital bouncer ushering you from the wrong door to the right one. Essential for website migrations, fixing broken links, or sneakily sending traffic where marketers actually want it to go. The 301 redirect is permanent; the 302 is temporary—a distinction that matters deeply to SEO experts and absolutely nobody else.

💻 Tech / IT
Intermediate

agile methodology

A software development approach that promised to free us from rigid planning but instead gave us daily standups and infinite meetings about sprints. It's chaos with a framework and motivational posters.

💻 Tech / IT
Intermediate

Containerize

To package an application and all its dependencies into a neat little box so it runs the same everywhere, solving the ancient developer prayer of "but it works on my machine." Now it doesn't work on anyone's machine equally.

💻 Tech / IT

Translate This Term

See “Bug” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on XShare on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

abatement

The formal term for reducing, lessening, or eliminating something—usually taxes, nuisances, or pollutants. In real est...