puppet

[ puhp-it ]

noun

1. an artificial figure representing a human being or an animal, manipulated by the hand, rods, wires, etc., as on a miniature stage. Compare hand puppet, marionette.
2. a person, group, government, etc., whose actions are prompted and controlled by another or others.

   Synonyms: instrument, figurehead, pawn

3. a small doll.
4. Machinery. poppethead.

puppet

/ ˈpʌpɪt /

noun

1. 1. a small doll or figure of a person or animal moved by strings attached to its limbs or by the hand inserted in its cloth body
   2. ( as modifier )

      a puppet theatre

2. 1. a person, group, state, etc, that appears independent but is in fact controlled by another
   2. ( as modifier )

      a puppet government

Other Words From

• puppet·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of puppet¹

1350–1400; earlier poppet, Middle English popet, apparently alteration of Middle Low German poppe doll < Late Latin puppa, Latin pūpa doll; -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of puppet¹

C16 popet, perhaps from Old French poupette little doll, ultimately from Latin pūpa girl, doll

Example Sentences

She says she no longer thinks of God as a personified being pulling the puppet strings.

From Washington Post

The satirical twist is that all the footage shown as real is, of course, deepfaked, while all the footage labeled fake is either real or played by puppets.

From MIT Technology Review

Computer-programmed light pulses can then target these newly light-sensitive neurons in a particular region of the brain and control their activity like puppets on a string.

From Singularity Hub 

He’d look at the wrong target, knowing it was wrong, but still stare at it like a puppet.

From Singularity Hub 

Here’s what the actor Geena Davis — by the way, she prefers “actor” to “actress” — here’s what she told us about the beloved educational series with a cast of puppet characters.

From Freakonomics

Based on his sock puppet, I expected him to be a burly bearded giant clad in plaid—basically, a Canadian Paul Bunyan.

From The Daily Beast

In 2006, Israel's Rechov Sumsum added Mahboub, an Arab-Israeli puppet who spoke both languages on the series.

From The Daily Beast

It was a hand, it was a puppet, it was half-CGI, but mostly puppetry.

From The Daily Beast

In another study, children saw a puppet show where a mouse was eaten by an alligator.

From The Daily Beast

So, in short, everyone knows Leung is a mere puppet with zero power and will read out whatever the communists dictate to him.

From The Daily Beast

The puppet had been torn from Mazaroff's hands; those compromising papers had vanished from Countess Saens's drawer.

From Project Gutenberg

I have heard of puppet rulers before—woman whom I am delighted to learn has a human heart after all.

From Project Gutenberg

A number of persons were assembled in the tap-room of the inn, where a man was exhibiting a puppet-show.

From Project Gutenberg

If you would call me puppet to-morrow, we might strike a balance and find—what should we find?

From Project Gutenberg

Falser than the Bank of Fancy, frailer than a shilling glove, Puppet to a father's anger, minion to a nabob's love!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• figurehead
• instrument
• pawn
• servant
• stooge
• tool