noun
marionette
mar-ee-uh-NET/ˌmæriəˈnet/
A puppet moved by strings from above.
The marionette hangs from taut strings with one arm and knee raised.
Etymology
Mariole already named a figurine or image of the Virgin Mary and was itself a diminutive of Marie. Another diminutive made the name literally “little little Mary,” later denoting a string-operated puppet.
In context
… he hung suspended between them like a marionette with its strings cut …
More examples
- She carves a wooden marionette and attaches strings to its limbs.
- Two marionettes bow together at the end of the show.
- The marionette hangs motionless while he untangles its strings.
Forms
marionette · marionettes
Similar words
- puppet
- A broader term, including figures controlled by hands or rods.