# marionette

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌmæɹi.əˈnɛt/ · frequency rank #56,897

## Definitions
1. A puppet, usually made of wood, which is animated by the pulling of strings.
2. The buffel duck.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French marionnette. The word had originally meant a small statue of the Virgin Mary, then also a puppet of her used in religious theatrical presentations, finally generalised to any puppet.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/marionette