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

Explanation

A puppeteer is a person who works a puppet, making it move and appear to talk. A puppeteer might do this by putting her hand inside the puppet and moving its arms and head. Puppets come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles, and they all need at least one puppeteer to operate them. Marionettes are puppets with strings, attached to parts of their bodies, that are worked from overhead by puppeteers. Hand puppets are manipulated from below, and some giant puppets require several puppeteers to move their limbs and heads. The Middle English root word is popet, "doll," from the Latin word pupa, "doll or girl."

Example Sentences

The first time I wore them, the contraption felt like a puppeteer controlling my legs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

For James, who is the voice of Paddington and remote puppeteer, he said "being a massive gamer" helped him learn how to operate Paddington's facial expressions perfectly.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

That description is essentially true; as a puppet designer and puppeteer, his job entails figuring out how to materialize figments of the imagination.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

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

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

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar