English

Alternative forms

• cludge
• kluge

Noun

kludge ‎(plural kludges)

1. (electronics engineering) An improvised device, usually crudely constructed. Typically used to test the validity of a principle before doing a finished design.
2. (general) Any construction or practice, typically inelegant, designed to solve a problem temporarily or expediently.
3. (computing) An amalgamated mass of totally unrelated parts forming a distressing whole.

Usage notes

• Today, kluge and kludge are often used as alternative spellings of the same word, although a distinction in usage can perhaps be detected: in the UK, the connotation of kludge is almost wholly negative (as befits its alleged derivation), while US usage of kluge, following its alleged German derivation, admits some fondness or admiration for the cleverness or functionality underlying a working klu(d)ge.

Synonyms

• (temporary solution): see Wikisaurus:workaround

Related terms

• kludgy

Translations

Verb

kludge ‎(third-person singular simple present kludges, present participle kludging, simple past and past participle kludged)

1. To build or use a kludge.

Synonyms

• See Wikisaurus:kludge