puppeteer

American  

[puhp-i-teer] / ˌpʌp ɪˈtɪər /

noun

1. a person who manipulates puppets, as in a puppet show.

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verb (used without object)

1. to work as a puppeteer, by making puppets perform.

puppeteer British  

/ ˌpʌpɪˈtɪə /

noun

1. a person who manipulates puppets

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Etymology

Origin of puppeteer

First recorded in 1925–30; puppet + -eer

Example Sentences

Yau Meng-Jia’s photos of master puppeteer Huang Hai-Dai capture a dying artform whose performer is nevertheless vibrantly animated.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

“Our brains are so accepting of puppetry, even when you see the puppeteer above the puppet, your brain can so easily just tune them out and be like: This thing is alive,” says Saxon.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2025

Henson often said he didn’t set out to be a puppeteer; he just saw it as a way to get into television.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2024

Willie Nelson’s 152nd album and Benedict Cumberbatch playing a curmudgeon puppeteer in “Eric” on Netflix are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you.

From Seattle Times • May 26, 2024

She reminded Armpit of a marionette who was also her own puppeteer.

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar