millennium bug

proper noun

A design flaw in computer systems that represented years as two digits (e.g. 84 for 1984), which could cause date calculations to fail if they involved years later than 1999.

Similar
Y2KY2K bugY2K scareyear 2000 problem
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. computingA design flaw in computer systems that represented years as two digits (e.g. 84 for 1984), which could cause date calculations to fail if they involved years later than 1999.

    Mr Johnson also said the Northern Irish border row had been blown out of proportion and compared fears over disruption over vital goods coming into the UK to "pure millennium bug stuff".

    2018 June 7, Lizzy Buchan, “Boris Johnson says Trump could handle Brexit better and warns of 'meltdown' in explosive leaked recording”, in The Independent, London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 07 Jun 2018

    Synonyms: Y2K, Y2K bug, Y2K scare, year 2000 problem

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounA design flaw in computer systems that represented years as two digits (e.g. 84 for 1984), which could cause date calculations to fail if they involved years later than 1999.

Similar
Y2KY2K bugY2K scareyear 2000 problem

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 千年蟲 /千年虫
  • 千年蟲 /千年虫 (qiānniánchóng)a design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
Dutch millenniumbug
  • millenniumbuga design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
Greek έντομο της Χιλιετηρίδας
  • έντομο της Χιλιετηρίδας (éntomo tis Chilietirídas)a design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
Japanese 2000年問題
  • 2000年問題a design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
Polish pluskwa milenijna
  • pluskwa milenijnaa design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
Portuguese bug do milénio, bug do milênio
  • bug do milénioa design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
  • bug do milênioa design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
Spanish efecto 2000
  • efecto 2000a design flaw in computer systems which which could cause date calculations to fail after 1999
Cite this entry
APA

millennium bug. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/millennium%20bug

MLA

“millennium bug.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/millennium%20bug. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “millennium bug,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/millennium%20bug.

Source: millennium bug on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.