Kludge Definition

Origin of Kludge

• Probably alteration of mid-20th century American military slang kluge complex device with a simple function perhaps of imitative origin or perhaps after the Kluge (paper feeder) a piece of printing equipment first manufactured in 1919 by Brandtjen & Kluge, Inc., and reputedly difficult to repair

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Cf. German Klōß, diminutive Klößchen "clod", Low Saxon klut, klute, Dutch kluit, perhaps related to Low German diminutive klütje "dumpling, clod", Danish Jutland dial. klyt "piece of bad workmanship, kludge", and Standard Danish kludder "mess, disorder". If so, related to klutz.

  From Wiktionary

• Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”) or from the German klug (“clever”); possibly related to Polish and Russian klucz (“a key, a hint, a main point”)

  From Wiktionary

• There is evidence that kluge was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the U.S. by a 1962 Datamation article, “How to Design a Kludge”.

  From Wiktionary