What is the meaning of macguffin?

noun

  • Film) a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot. (
    • usage: "the McGuffin was a key element of Alfred Hitchcock's films"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). macguffin. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/macguffin/definitions/1292804
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "macguffin" http://smartdefine.org/macguffin/definitions/1292804 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, macguffin, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/macguffin/definitions/1292804>.
MLAWordNet. "macguffin" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/macguffin/definitions/1292804>