Kludge: Something put together without any elegance, planning or forethought. Comes from the German during the Industrial Revolution.
------
kludge: PRONUNCIATION:         klj VARIANT FORMS:        kluge

NOUN:        Slang 1. A system, especially a computer system, that is constituted of poorly matched elements or of elements originally intended for other applications. 2. A clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem.

ETYMOLOGY:        From ironic use of earlier kluge, smart, clever, from spelling pronunciation of German kluge, from Middle High German kluc, from Middle Low German klk.

OTHER FORMS:        kludge —VERB kludgy —ADJECTIVE