marionette
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of marionette
1610–20; < French marionnette, equivalent to Marion (diminutive of Marie Mary) + -ette -ette
Explanation
Use the noun marionette to describe a puppet that's manipulated with strings from above a stage. You might see a marionette show at a child's birthday party. A marionette is a very specific kind of puppet, one that's operated with sticks and wires or strings that move its arms, legs, and head in a nearly lifelike way. Marionettes have been around for centuries, at least since the ancient Greeks used them around 500 BC. The word marionette means "little little Mary" in French, a reference to one of the earliest known marionette characters, a puppet version of the Virgin Mary.
Vocabulary lists containing marionette
Tuck Everlasting
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Power Suffix: -ette
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Projekt 1065
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Creative pandemic-era solutions, including Zoom puppet classes, mobile marionette shows, even wedding planning helped the Bob Baker Marionette Theater thrive.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2024
Street performing in the square dates back to 1662 at least, when Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary about a marionette show.
From BBC • Nov. 22, 2023
At one point, he seems to become a marionette: the vertical line of the microphone stand dividing him in two, with gyrating arms and legs seemingly independent of each other.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2023
A classic marionette might have eight to 10 strings.
From New York Times • Jul. 12, 2023
Her arms jerked up like the limbs of a marionette, shocked by this gesture, this posture.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
