'bamboozle' originates from English, first attested in the early 18th century; its precise origin is uncertain and it is considered a fanciful or dialectal formation.

'bamboozle' appears in early 1700s English usage with the meaning 'to cheat or trick'; the past/past-participle form 'bamboozled' developed following regular verb formation and the word remained in colloquial use.

Initially it meant 'to cheat, trick, or perplex'; over time the primary sense of 'deceive' has remained, while an informal sense of 'confuse' or 'perplex' also became common.