ventriloquism
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ventriloquism
1790–1800; ventriloqu ( y ) (< Medieval Latin ventriloquium, equivalent to Late Latin ventriloqu ( us ) a ventriloquist ( ventri- ventri- + -loquus, derivative of loquī to speak) + -ium -ium ) + -ism
Explanation
Ventriloquism is the art of using your voice so that it seems to be coming from a dummy or puppet, rather than from your mouth. You should practice your ventriloquism before the school talent show: I can totally see your lips moving. Someone who's an expert at ventriloquism is called a ventriloquist. This person has practiced until they've achieved the pinnacle of ventriloquism, the ability to "throw" their voice, so that it seems to be emanating from somewhere other than their own lips. Part of ventriloquism is learning to speak without moving your mouth. Another part is getting comfortable having a creepy-looking puppet sit on your lap and speak in your voice.
Vocabulary lists containing ventriloquism
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.
What we call ventriloquism, the ancient Greeks called gastromancy, believing the ventriloquist was speaking from the gut on behalf of the dead to the living.
From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2022
Growing up, Piphus Peace performed at churches, schools, festivals and events, doing both puppeteering and ventriloquism.
From Washington Post • Sep. 20, 2022
Sharp offers some notes — “The puppet … don’t smoosh it down too much,” he tells Gurley, who’s doing a sketch about ventriloquism — before everyone takes a lunch break over catered falafel.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2022
Rankin describes the process of writing the book as an "act of ventriloquism" in trying to capture McIlvanney's writing style.
From BBC • Aug. 30, 2021
The raps were not created through ventriloquism as some had suggested.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
