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Macguffin vs Undefined - What's the difference?

macguffin | undefined |

As a noun macguffin

is (narratology) a plot element or other device used to catch the audience's attention and maintain suspense, but whose exact nature has fairly little influence over the storyline.

As an adjective undefined is

lacking a definition or value.

macguffin

English

(wikipedia MacGuffin)

Alternative forms

* McGuffin

Noun

(en noun)
  • (narratology) A plot element or other device used to catch the audience's attention and maintain suspense, but whose exact nature has fairly little influence over the storyline.
  • * 2000 , , Lester D. Friedman, Brent Notbohm, Steven Spielberg: Interviews
    • " ... But we wound up realizing you really can't top yourself. You just tell a different story and hope the new MacGuffin' is as compelling as the last ' MacGuffin ."
  • * 2005 , , On SF
    • A paleontologist lately returned from an expedition to Wyoming, where he unearthed the bones of the first brontosaurus (and supplied guns to the Indians on behalf of the Foreign Office, which had succeeded in its policy of balkanizing the North American continent) Mallory comes into possession of the MacGuffin' during a Derby Day encounter with Byron's daughter (and Babbage's protégée) Ada. Thereafter he is hounded by a whole rogue's gallery of villains bent on reclaiming the ' MacGuffin .

    Synonyms

    * red herring

    undefined

    English

    Adjective

    (wikipedia undefined) (-)
  • Lacking a definition or value.
  • (mathematics, computing) That does not have a meaning and is thus not assigned an interpretation.
    • The result of division by zero is undefined .

    Antonyms

    * defined