n. [ ca. 2000 ] 1. A fictional object shaped like a small golden sphere with wings, described in the series of “Harry Potter” novels by J.K. Rowling. It is used in a fictional game called Quidditch, in which wizards on broomsticks fly through the air and, among other things, try to catch the golden snitch, which flies quickly and erratically, and is therefore difficult to catch. [ PJC ]

2. Hence: [ metaphorically ] Some object that is difficult to catch, or a goal that is difficult to achieve. [ PJC ]