'bamboozle' originates from English slang of the early 18th century; its precise origin is uncertain and it appears to be a colloquial coinage rather than a direct borrowing from another language.

'bamboozle' appears in print in the early 1700s (c.1720s) as a slang term meaning 'to cheat or trick' and remained in colloquial English, later giving rise to forms such as 'bamboozled' and 'bamboozling'.

Initially it meant 'to deceive or cheat someone,' and this core meaning has largely remained, though usage has broadened to include 'to confuse or perplex' in informal contexts.