marionnette

French

Etymology

From a diminutive of mariole, from the name Marie (“Mary”). The word 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.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.ʁjɔ.nɛt/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

marionnette f (plural marionnettes)

1. marionette, puppet
2. (figuratively) puppet (someone who is easily influenced or controlled by another)

Related terms

• marionnettiste

Descendants

• → Catalan: marioneta
• → Czech: marioneta
• → Danish: marionet
• → Dutch: marionet
• → English: marionette
• → Galician: marioneta
• → German: Marionette (see there for further descendants)
• → Italian: marionetta
• → Norwegian Bokmål: marionett
• → Norwegian Nynorsk: marionett
• → Portuguese: marionete, marioneta, marionette, marionnette (obsolete)
• → Romanian: marionetă
• ⇒ Russian: марионетка (marionetka)
• → Spanish: marioneta
• → Swedish: marionett

See also

• poupée

Further reading

• “marionnette”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• monteraient, remontaient

Portuguese

Noun

marionnette f (plural marionnettes)

1. Superseded spelling of marionete.