Buffle
/ˈbʌfəl/noun
A term meaning to confuse, perplex, or make someone seem foolish; also a rare dialectal or historical form related to buffing or a buff-colored material.
Did you know?Although it sounds almost magical, the historical “buffle” is tied to plain old baffling and buffeting: words for being struck, shaken, or thrown into confusion rather than any occult rite.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*buf- / *bufl-
“A base associated with puffing, swelling, or striking; the exact prehistory is uncertain and often connected with sound-symbolic formation.”
Middle English
ME
bufflen / buffle
“To strike, beat, or confuse; also to fluster or perplex.”
16th–17th Century
English
buffle
“To bewilder, confuse, or make a fool of.”
Modern English
English
buffle
“A rare or dialectal word for confusing or muddling someone, now largely obsolete.”