adj · name · noun · verb · 42 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
bŭg
General-American, Received-Pronunciation:/bʌɡ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian, New-Zealand:/bɐɡ/
Northern-England:/bʊɡ/
rhymes with -ʌɡ
CMU ARPABET:B AH1 G
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Initialism of bisexual until graduation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy
Is this hotel room bugged?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: wiretap, tap, intercept
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: listen in, eavesdrop
History
Etymology
From the Slavic hydronym *bugъ /*buga.
First attested in this form around 1620 (referring to a “bedbug”), from earlier bugge (“beetle”), from Middle English bugge (“scarecrow, hobgoblin”) which is traced alternatively to: * a Celtic root found in Scots bogill (“goblin, bugbear”) and obsolete Welsh bwg (“ghost, hobgoblin”); compare Welsh bwgwl (“threat, fear”) and Middle Irish bocanách (“supernatural being”). * Proto-Germanic *bugja- (“swollen up, thick”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhew-, *bu- (“to swell”); compare Norwegian bugge (“big man”), dialectal Low German Bögge (“goblin, snot”). * or to a word related to buck and originally referring to a goat-shaped spectre. For the “insect” meaning the assonance with Middle English budde (“beetle”), from Old English budda, from Proto-Germanic *buddô, *buzdô, from the same ultimate source as above, might have played a role. Compare Low German Budde (“louse, grub”), Norwegian budda (“newborn domestic animal”). More at bud. But ultimately this convergence of meaning doesn't prove a conflation of the two terms; they might have existed in parallel since PIE times with similar meanings, even if unnoticed by literary sources. The term is used to refer to technical errors and problems at least as early as the 19th century, predating the commonly known story of a moth being caught in a computer.
Across languages
Translations
389 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
Բուգ
— river between Belarus and Poland
Chinese Mandarin:
布格河
— river between Belarus and Poland
Marathi:
बुग
(bug)
— river between Belarus and Poland
Polish:
Bug
— river between Belarus and Poland
Russian:
Буг
— river between Belarus and Poland
Ukrainian:
Буг
(Buh)
— river between Belarus and Poland
Afrikaans:
insek
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Bashkir:
ҡандала
(qandala)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Belarusian:
клоп
(klop)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Catalan:
xinxa
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Chinese Mandarin:
臭蟲 /臭虫
(chòuchóng)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Czech:
štěnice
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Dutch:
wants
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Esperanto:
cimo
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Finnish:
lude
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
French:
punaise
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Galician:
catafede
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Galician:
chumia
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Galician:
percevella
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Galician:
cabaciña
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Galician:
fodegosa
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Galician:
zafeiro
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Galician:
ruvicoa
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
German:
Wanze
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
German:
Schnabelkerf
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Haitian Creole:
ensèk
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Indonesian:
kepik
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Italian:
cimice
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Kalmyk:
шалз
(şalz)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Karakalpak:
pite
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Latin:
cīmex
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Latvian:
blaktis
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Mi'kmaq:
jujij
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Mi'kmaq:
juji'ji'j
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Navajo:
chʼosh
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Persian:
ساس
(sâs)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Polish:
pluskwiak
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Portuguese:
hemíptero
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Russian:
клоп
(klop)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Serbo-Croatian:
kukac
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Serbo-Croatian:
insekt
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Serbo-Croatian:
polukrilac
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Slovene:
hrošč
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Slovene:
stenica
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Slovene:
zajedavska stenica
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Spanish:
chinche
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Swedish:
halvvinge
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Thai:
แมลง
(má-lɛɛng)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Turkish:
böcek
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Ukrainian:
клоп
(klop)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Welsh:
pryf
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Welsh:
llau
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Zazaki:
lolık (diq)
— an insect of the order Hemiptera
Afrikaans:
gogga
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Armenian:
բլոճ
(bloč)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Armenian:
բլոջ
(bloǰ)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Armenian:
բողոճ
(boġoč)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Asturian:
bichu
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Asturian:
cocu
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Asturian:
coca
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Bashkir:
бөжәк
(böjək)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Basque:
zomorro
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Basque:
insektu
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Belarusian:
кузу́рка
(kuzúrka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Belarusian:
казю́лька
(kazjúlʹka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Belarusian:
казя́ўка
(kazjáwka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Belarusian:
казу́рка
(kazúrka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Bulgarian:
буболе́чка
(buboléčka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Catalan:
cuca
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Catalan:
bestiola
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Chinese Mandarin:
蟲 /虫
(chóng)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Choctaw:
shu̱shi
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Czech:
brouk
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Danish:
insekt
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Danish:
kryb
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Dutch:
insect
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Dutch:
beestje
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Esperanto:
cimo
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Finnish:
ötökkä
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
French:
insecte
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
French:
petite bête
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Galician:
becho
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Galician:
bicho
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Galician:
coco
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
German:
Wanze
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
German:
Krabbeltier
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
German:
Ungeziefer
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Greek:
κοριός
(koriós)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Greek:
ζωύφιο
(zoýfio)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Greek:
ζουζούνι
(zouzoúni)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Haitian Creole:
ensèk
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Hebrew:
חרק
(kharák)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Hebrew:
ג׳וּק
(juk)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Hungarian:
bogár
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Icelandic:
padda
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Indonesian:
serangga
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Ingrian:
itikka
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Irish:
feithid
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Irish:
míol
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Italian:
bacarozzo
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Japanese:
虫
(mushi)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Khmer:
សត្វល្អិត
(sat l’ət)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Korean:
벌레
(beolle)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Latin:
cīmex
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Latvian:
kukainis
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Macedonian:
бубачка
(bubačka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Maltese:
insett żgħir
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Marathi:
कीडा
(kīḍā)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Mi'kmaq:
jujij
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Mi'kmaq:
juji'ji'j
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Mongolian:
шавьж
(šavʹž)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Mongolian:
бясаа
(bjasaa)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Mongolian:
хорхой
(xorxoj)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Nanai:
колан
(kolan)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Navajo:
chʼosh
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Old English:
pēo
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Polish:
robak
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Polish:
robal
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Polish:
owad
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Polish:
insekt
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Portuguese:
bicho
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Portuguese:
bichinho
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Romanian:
gândac
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Romanian:
gânganie
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Russian:
бука́шка
(bukáška)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Russian:
козя́вка
(kozjávka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Russian:
насеко́мое
(nasekómoje)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Sardinian:
babboi
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Sardinian:
cerpíu
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Serbo-Croatian:
buba
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Slovene:
žužek
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Spanish:
bicho
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Swahili:
mdudu
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Swedish:
kryp
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Tagalog:
gagapang
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Thai:
แมลง
(má-lɛɛng)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Thai:
แมง
(mɛɛng)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Turkish:
böcek
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Ottoman Turkish:
بوجك
(böcek)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Ottoman Turkish:
حشره
(haşere)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Ukrainian:
кома́шка
(komáška)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Ukrainian:
ку́зька
(kúzʹka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Ukrainian:
ку́зка
(kúzka)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Ukrainian:
кома́ха
(komáxa)
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Vietnamese:
bọ
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Welsh:
pryf
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Welsh:
llau
— a colloquial name for various arthropods and other similar creeping creatures
Finnish:
rapu
— various species of marine or freshwater crustaceans
French:
cigale de mer
— various species of marine or freshwater crustaceans
Arabic:
خَطَأ
(ḵaṭaʔ)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Armenian:
վրեպ
(vrep)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Armenian:
բագ
(bag)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Armenian:
սխալ
(sxal)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Belarusian:
памы́лка
(pamýlka)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Belarusian:
баг
(bah)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Bulgarian:
гре́шка
(gréška)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Bulgarian:
бъг
(bǎg)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Catalan:
error
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Catalan:
defecte
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Catalan:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Chinese Mandarin:
錯誤 /错误
(cuòwù)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Czech:
chyba
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Czech:
moucha
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Dutch:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Esperanto:
cimo
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Esperanto:
fuŝo
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Esperanto:
miso
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Esperanto:
eraro
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Faroese:
brek
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Finnish:
ohjelmointivirhe
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Finnish:
bugi
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
French:
bogue
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
French:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Georgian:
ხარვეზი
(xarvezi)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Georgian:
შეცდომა
(šecdoma)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Georgian:
პრობლემა
(ṗroblema)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Georgian:
დეფექტი
(depekṭi)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Georgian:
გაუმართაობა
(gaumartaoba)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Georgian:
დაზიანება
(dazianeba)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
German:
Fehler
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
German:
Fehlfunktion
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
German:
Bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Greek:
σφάλμα
(sfálma)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Greek:
ελάττωμα
(eláttoma)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Hebrew:
באג
(bag)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Hungarian:
hiba
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Icelandic:
böggur
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Icelandic:
lús
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Indonesian:
kekutu
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Indonesian:
kutu
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Indonesian:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Interlingua:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Irish:
fabht
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Italian:
malfunzionamento
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Italian:
errore
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Italian:
baco
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Japanese:
不具合
(fuguai)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Japanese:
バグ
(bagu)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Khmer:
កំហុស
(kɑmhoh)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Korean:
버그
(beogeu)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Macedonian:
грешка
(greška)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Maltese:
bagg
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Marathi:
बग
(bag)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Persian:
باگ
(bâg)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Persian:
اشکال
(eškâl)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Polish:
byk
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Polish:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Polish:
błąd
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Portuguese:
defeito
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Portuguese:
falha
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Portuguese:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Portuguese:
erro
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Russian:
баг
(bag)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Russian:
оши́бка
(ošíbka)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Russian:
дефе́кт
(defékt)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Russian:
глюк
(gljuk)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Serbo-Croatian:
greška
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Slovak:
chyba
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Slovene:
hrošč
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Spanish:
error
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Spanish:
fallo
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Spanish:
defecto
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Spanish:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Spanish:
falla
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Swedish:
bugg
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Thai:
บั๊ก
(bák)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Thai:
จุดบกพร่อง
(jùt-bòk-prɔ̂ng)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Turkish:
böcek
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Turkish:
bug
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Ukrainian:
поми́лка
(pomýlka)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Ukrainian:
баг
(bah)
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Vietnamese:
lỗi
— problem that needs fixing (especially in computing)
Chinese Mandarin:
病菌
(bìngjūn)
— contagious illness, bacteria, virus