McGuffin

/məˈgʌfɪn/
IPA guide

Other forms: McGuffins

Definitions of McGuffin
  1. noun
    (film) a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot
    “the McGuffin was a key element of Alfred Hitchcock's films”
    synonyms: MacGuffin
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    type of:
    plot element
    a component or element of the plot of a story
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