blip

Blip is a term used in various disciplines to describe a brief, transient signal, mark, or interruption. As a noun, it often refers to a short audible tone, a momentary visual indicator, or a brief anomaly on a display or recording. As a verb, to blip can mean to produce such a signal or to appear briefly on a monitor or dataset. The common thread is its short duration and limited impact relative to ongoing activity.

In telecommunications and electronics, a blip is typically a short pulse, beep, or interruption that lasts only a moment and is easily distinguished from the normal signal. In radar and sonar, it may describe a fleeting return on the display. In video or telemetry displays, a blip can mark an event of interest, such as an alert symbol or a data point.

Metaphorically, "blip" is used to describe a brief deviation in otherwise stable conditions, or a temporary appearance on a timeline or radar screen, as in "a blip on the radar" indicating a transient object or event. In popular culture, the term has broadened to describe short, inconsequential occurrences in a larger context.

Etymology: The word blip is onomatopoeic, imitating the sound of a short electronic tone. It began as a colloquial term in English and became widespread with the growth of electronics and computing in the 20th century, though precise origins are informal and uncertain.

See also: glitch, spike, beep, marker, artefact.