Bamboozle
/bæmˈbuːzəl/noun
To trick, deceive, or confuse someone.
Did you know?Bamboozle is a genuine English slang word of uncertain origin, first recorded in the early 1700s, and its mysterious history is part of what makes it feel so magically slippery.
Etymological Timeline
Early 18th Century
English
bamboozle
“to deceive, cheat, or mystify”
17th–18th Century
English slang
bam
“a trick or deception (suggested source element, uncertain)”
17th–18th Century
English slang
booze
“to swindle or befuddle (possible source element, uncertain)”
Modern English
English
bamboozle
“to confuse or trick someone”
Explore more surprising origins