Where does the word puppet come from?
Answer
The Online Etymology Dictionary and myEtymology mention:
1520s (implied in puppetry),
- from Old French poupette, dim. of poupée "doll" (13c.),
- from Vulgar Latin root *puppa,
- from Latin pupa "girl, doll" (see pupil).
- from Vulgar Latin root *puppa,
Metaphoric extension to "person whose actions are manipulated by another" first recorded 1540s.
More details in this "Word of the day" entry, including about the related word puppy:
In the middle ages lap dogs were also called
poupéebecause they were thought of as playthings—not working dogs.Poupéemorphed to puppy and so with time any little dog began to be called a puppy.
Note: the origin of the word puppeteer is more recent (1915).
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