Hotfix

/ˈhɒtfɪks/ noun

An urgent software update applied directly to production to resolve a critical bug or security vulnerability that cannot wait for the normal release cycle. It bypasses standard development processes for speed.

Compound of 'hot' (urgent, immediate) and 'fix' from Latin 'fixus' (fastened, repaired). The term emerged in the 1990s as software systems became more complex and downtime became increasingly costly for businesses.

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