MacGuffin

Plot device

Also known as McGuffin · maguffin · plot coupon

Instance of: plot device
Subclass of: fictional object

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

In fiction, a MacGuffin 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. Thus, the use of a MacGuffin in a narrative is a plot device. The term was originated by Angus MacPhail for film, adopted by Alfred Hitchcock, and later extended to a similar device in other fiction.

Overview

On other databases

14 identifiers linking MacGuffin across the web's reference databases

Data quality

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12%

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Source last edited September 4, 2026. AIDb refreshes this page daily.

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AIDb. (2026). MacGuffin (Q488733). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/macguffin-Q488733