In fiction, a MacGuffin (sometimes McGuffin) is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. …

narrative device Quick Summary Ask the Chatbot Also known as: Macguffin, McGuffin, macguffin

Feb 8, 2025 · What is a MacGuffin? Films like Star Wars and directors like Hitchcock used this plot device all the time. We’ll cover a MacGuffin definition with examples.

" MacGuffin " (a.k.a. McGuffin or maguffin) is a term for an object or element in a story that drives the plot, but serves no further purpose. It won't pop up again later, it won't explain the ending, …

Kids Definition MacGuffin noun Mac· Guf· fin variants or McGuffin mə-ˈgəf-ən

By no means original with Hitchcock, the McGuffin is a hoary British joke about a parcel-toting man on a train meeting another man, who inquires: "What's in the parcel?"

A MacGuffin (or McGuffin) is an object, device, or event necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but typically unimportant or irrelevant in itself. Usually, the MacGuffin is …

Meaning of MacGuffin in English MacGuffin noun [ C ] theatre & film specialized (also McGuffin) uk / məˈɡʌf.ɪn / us / məˈɡʌf.ɪn /

MACGUFFIN definition: a plot device in a work of fiction, often a physical object, that drives the plot forward without factoring into the story’s resolution. See examples of MacGuffin used in a …

Dec 15, 2025 · A McGuffin is a term coined by filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock to refer to an object, person, or goal that serves as a driving force for the characters in a story. The McGuffin is …