bumfuzzle

American  

[buhm-fuhz-uhl] / bʌmˈfʌz əl /

verb (used with object)

Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.

bumfuzzled, bumfuzzling

1. to confuse or fluster.

---

Usage

What does bumfuzzle mean? To bumfuzzle is to confuse or fluster. Bumfuzzle is most often used in the dialect of the Southern United States. It is colloquial, meaning it is typically used in informal conversation. It is very similar to bamboozle, and may be derived from it. Example: I was totally bumfuzzled by the physics homework last night—I didn’t understand any of it!

Etymology

Origin of bumfuzzle

First recorded in 1900–05; origin uncertain; from bum- (as in the initial syllable of Scottish bumbaze, bombaze “to confuse” ( bamboozle ) + fuzzle “to confuse” (perhaps a blend of fuddle and fuzzy ( def. ) )

Explanation

To bumfuzzle someone is to surprise, befuddle, or confuse them. If everyone looks at you in bewilderment after you've explained the directions for a game, you've bumfuzzled them. The exact origin of bumfuzzle isn't known for certain, but it's suspiciously similar to the words bamboozle, fuzzy, and dumbfound, all of which have related meanings. Earlier variations of the word bumfuzzle include bamfoozle, dumfoozle, and bamfuzzle. Perhaps people were so bumfuzzled by these words, they accidentally mashed them together, giving birth to a new synonym! Today, you're most likely to hear this whimsical, old-fashioned word in the Southern and Midwestern regions of the United States.

Example Sentences

Every drawer in the kitchen was open and she’d already said three almost-swears: corn nuts, kitty whiskers, and bumfuzzle.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry