What does puppetry mean?
Puppetry is the art and practice of creating and performing with puppets, figures that may be moved by strings, rods, hands, or other mechanisms. It encompasses not only the figures themselves but also the writing, design, music, lighting, and performance that bring a puppet character to life. Puppetry appears in theatre, television, film, education, advertising, and community performance, ranging from traditional glove, string, and rod puppets to more experimental forms. The word can refer either to the general art or to a particular performance built around puppet characters. Its appeal lies in the distinctive relationship between physical manipulation and imagined character: a simple object can become a person, animal, or abstract figure through movement, voice, and narrative. Puppetry is therefore both a performance medium and a way of communicating stories, ideas, and cultural perspectives.
nounThe art or practice of making and performing with puppets. It can also refer to a performance that uses puppets, including their manipulation, characters, and staging.
- The art or practice of making and performing with puppets.
- A theatrical performance or entertainment based on puppet characters.
"The theatre company is renowned for its imaginative puppetry and inventive use of light."
"Children laughed at the lively puppetry during the school assembly."
"Her documentary explores puppetry as a form of political and cultural expression."
From the Latin word for doll, “puppetry” has grown into an art that can bring characters to life without a human performer ever appearing onstage.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does puppetry come from?
The word “puppetry” derives from “puppet,” which entered English through Old French and ultimately comes from the Latin “pupa,” meaning “doll.” The suffix “-ry” was added to form a noun denoting an activity, craft, or field associated with puppets. The related Latin root also appears in modern biological vocabulary such as “pupa” and “pupate,” reflecting the older sense of a doll-like form.
How puppetry is actually used
The term is generally neutral and is used in both formal discussion and ordinary descriptions of theatre, education, entertainment, and performance.
Easily confused with puppetry
A puppet is an individual figure or character manipulated in a performance, whereas puppetry is the art or activity of making and performing with puppets.
A marionette is a puppet operated from above by strings or wires, while puppetry includes many other forms of puppet performance.