Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
MacGuffin
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
The Hangover Medea holding the Golden Fleece The 39 Steps The Maltese Falcon Saving Private Ryan
Read Next
Ancient book lit by candle
9 Obscure Literary Terms
Chapter 4 pg 42 - Chapter header of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Published in 1884 by The American Publishing Company
Periods of American Literature
The Catcher in the Rye By J.D. Salinger. Hardcover Book first sold: July 16, 1951. Current cover design dated 1991? Previous solid maroon book cover with gold font designed by J.D. Salinger in response to racey pulp paper back book cover. bad books
5 Good Books That Inspired Bad Deeds
Girl Reading On Turquoise Couch
9 American Countercultural Books
Discover
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
Groups of depositors in front of the closed American Union Bank, New York City. April 26, 1932. Great Depression run on bank crowd
Causes of the Great Depression
African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.
Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement
Illustration for Demystified "How Dangerous is Quicksand"
How Deadly Is Quicksand?
Two chicks near an egg with a white background (poultry, chick, chickens, birds).
What Do Eggs Have to Do with Easter?
illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum
Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs
Fish. Lionfish. Lion-fish. Turkey fish. Fire-fish. Red lionfish. Pterois volitans. Venomous fin spines. Coral reefs. Underwater. Ocean. Red lionfish swims by seaweed.
10 of the World’s Most Dangerous Fish

MacGuffin: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/MacGuffin
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As Macguffin • McGuffin • macguffin

Photos

The Hangover
Medea holding the Golden Fleece
The 39 Steps
The Maltese Falcon
Saving Private Ryan
See All Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics