Word
baffle
Phoneticsbaf·fle, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbæfəɫ/
UK/bˈæfəl/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who is very difficult to understand or deal with. You use this word when someone's behavior or personality is confusing and hard to figure out.
n. a person whose character or behavior is difficult to understand or predict. Primarily used in British English; informal and dialectal in register.
Examples
“He is a real baffle to everyone who works with him.”
“The new manager is a complete baffle, changing his mind about the project every other day.”
“While his technical skills are undeniable, his erratic social behavior makes him a baffle to his colleagues, who struggle to reconcile his professional competence with his personal aloofness.”
Examples
simple
“He is a real baffle to everyone who works with him.”
contextual
“The new manager is a complete baffle, changing his mind about the project every other day.”
complex
“While his technical skills are undeniable, his erratic social behavior makes him a baffle to his colleagues, who struggle to reconcile his professional competence with his personal aloofness.”
Real-World Examples
“They attempted to redefine how a football club is run: buying young, handing out unusually long contracts, in a model that has fascinated and baffled many in football.” “And while that may have baffled a few younger fans – the club’s website ran a post explaining who the Madchester group were for the gen Z-ers – it still reflects a genuine connection.” “Lee's comments Tuesday come as many South Koreans remain baffled and concerned about U.S.” Etymology
The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly: * from French bafouer, baffoüer (“to abuse, revile; to confuse, baffle; to deceive; to flout; to scorn”), imitative of someone making a disdainful sound by expelling air quickly through pouted lips (compare Occitan baf (interjection expressing disdain)); or * from French befer, beffer, beffler (“(obsolete) to deceive; to mock, ridicule”) (compare Old French befe, beffe, buffe (“deception; mockery”); beferie (“deceit; quibbling”)), possibly from bafouer: see above. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Italian beffare (“(verb) to deride, mock”), beffa (“(noun) banter; mockery”) * Occitan bafar (“(verb) to deride, mock”), bafa (“(noun) banter; mockery”) * Old Spanish bafa (modern Spanish befa (“(noun) banter; mockery”)) * Spanish befar (“(verb) to deride, mock”)
The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly from Scots bauchle (“to annoy; to cause harm or trouble to; to disgrace; to jilt; to treat with contempt”), from bauchle (“useless or worn-out person or thing; clumsy work, bungle; clumsy or untidy person; contemptible person; laughing stock”); further etymology uncertain, possibly related to bauch (“feeble, sorry; backward, foolish”, adjective), possibly related to Old Norse bagr (“awkward, clumsy”), bāgr (“hard up, poor; uneasy”) The noun is derived from the verb.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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