or McGuffin noun Etymology: coined by Alfred Hitchcock Date: circa 1939 an object, event, or character in a film or story that serves to set and keep the plot in motion despite usually lacking intrinsic importance
MACGUFFIN
Meaning of MACGUFFIN in English
Merriam Webster. Explanatory English dictionary Merriam Webster. Толковый словарь английского языка Мерриам-Уэбстер. 2012