Definition of troubleshoot

The word "troubleshoot" has an interesting history. It originated in the 1920s in the context of the U.S. military, particularly in the Army Signal Corps. During World War I, soldiers were referred to as "trouble shooters" or "trouble shooters, radio," who would identify and fix problems with radio and communication equipment. The term was later shortened to "troubleshoot." By the 1930s, the word had spread to other industries, including aviation and manufacturing, where it referred to the process of identifying and resolving technical issues. Today, "troubleshoot" is widely used in various fields to describe the process of identifying and resolving problems, whether they're technical, bureaucratic, or other types of issues. I hope that's a helpful origin story for you!