Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “marionette” come from?

Marionette comes from French marionnette, a diminutive of mariole, itself derived from the name Marie, which passed through Old French and Latin Maria from Ancient Greek Μαρία, ultimately from Aramaic מַרְיָם or מרים.

marionette (English): A puppet, usually made of wood, which is animated...

Definitions

  1. A puppet, usually made of wood, which is animated...

Ancestry of “marionette”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchmarionnettemarionette; puppet
2Frenchmarioleastute, intelligent, discerning; someone who is...
3Frenchmarionette—

Words derived from “marionette”

  • marionettist
  • supermarionette
Every word from French marionette →