marionette

American  

[mar-ee-uh-net] / ˌmær i əˈnɛt /

noun

1. a puppet manipulated from above by strings attached to its jointed limbs.

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marionette British  

/ ˌmærɪəˈnɛt /

noun

1. an articulated puppet or doll whose jointed limbs are moved by strings

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Etymology

Origin of marionette

1610–20; < French marionnette, equivalent to Marion (diminutive of Marie Mary) + -ette -ette

Example Sentences

He starts toward us with the awkward gait of a marionette.

From Literature

Metz’s workshop is directly behind Fairyland’s puppet stage, and it’s a mini marionette museum, filled with books, pictures and, of course, puppets.

From Los Angeles Times

Christmas lights glisten, a communal tree beckons to be decorated and a marionette handler wanders the grounds.

From Los Angeles Times

When she forced a cheery smile, she took on the appearance of a badly painted marionette.

From Literature

My timings, my instincts, the way that I thought, the way I saw it in my head could be expressed through these really high-tech marionettes on a computer.

From The Wall Street Journal