Bafflement
/ˈbæf.əl.mənt/noun
A state of confusion or puzzlement.
Did you know?The core verb baffled once meant to publicly shame or disgrace someone, so the word’s emotional energy began as social defeat before becoming mental confusion.
Etymological Timeline
14th Century
English
baffulen
“to humiliate or disgrace publicly”
16th Century
English
baffle
“to disgrace, confound, or frustrate”
16th Century
English
baffled
“confused, thwarted, or defeated”
18th Century
English
bafflement
“the state of being baffled or confused”
Modern English
English
bafflement
“a state of confusion or puzzlement”