ventriloquist
Americannoun
-
ventriloquists
plural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ventriloquist
1650–60; ventriloqu(y) ( def. ) + -ist
Explanation
Ventriloquists prove that even adults sometimes play with dolls. Specifically, these performers pretend to make their dolls, puppets, or dummies speak for entertainment purposes. The Latin word ventriloquium means “to speak from the stomach.” Ventriloquists have learned the art of projecting their voices, speaking without moving their lips, and moving the mouths of their dummies simultaneously so that it seems like their dummies are talking. Usually, they sit on a stage and pretend to have a conversation as part of a comedy routine.
Vocabulary lists containing ventriloquist
Bud, Not Buddy
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!
"Raymond's Run"
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!
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer
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.
See Examples For:
Being a magician in a movie is a bit like being a ventriloquist on the radio: What’s the point?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2025
A 1978 portrait of the star by the artist Richard Stone went for £15,000, while his ventriloquist dummy Charlie achieved £6,200, twice its highest estimate, during the two-day event.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2025
Born in Philadelphia in 1840, Donaldson was a gymnast, ventriloquist, a tightrope performer and – like the Wonderful Wizard himself – a magician.
From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2024
So when their sons initially insisted on trying to become actors, both Rick and his wife, Jeanine — who was an amateur ventriloquist — reacted positively.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 7, 2024
The Mercury’s radio dramas weren’t as popular as the programs featuring comedian Jack Benny, ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy, or Major Bowes and his Amateur Hour performers.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
At Barnum’s American Museum in New York City, visitors could see America’s first aquarium, a menagerie of exotic animals, performances by magicians and ventriloquists, and waxworks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2026
At first, she did not take puppeteer classes or workshops, but instead learned how to mimic the ventriloquists she watched on VHS tapes at home.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 20, 2022
The show was host to many imaginative puppeteers and ventriloquists, including Señor Wences, the Bill Baird Puppets and the pre-“Sesame Street” Muppets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2021
“We’ve been meaning to watch a documentary about ventriloquists called ‘Dumbstruck,’ and tonight is supposed to be our 4th attempt.”
From New York Times ● Apr. 30, 2011
I turned my head and talked sideways out of my mouth like one of those ventriloquists.
From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis
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.
