What does ventriloquist mean?
A ventriloquist is a performer who speaks without moving their lips, traditionally while making a puppet or dummy appear to talk. The craft is commonly associated with comedy, variety entertainment, television, and stage shows, in which the performer gives distinct voices and personalities to different puppets. In figurative use, a ventriloquist is someone who expresses another person's views or serves as that person's mouthpiece. This usage often suggests uncritical repetition or a lack of independent judgment. The word derives from Latin ventriloquus, literally a “belly-speaker,” combining venter, meaning “belly,” with loqui, meaning “to speak.” Although modern performers are usually understood as using careful lip control and illusion rather than speaking from the stomach, the traditional name preserves the original association with the voice and the body.
nounA ventriloquist is a person who speaks without moving their lips, traditionally while making a puppet appear to speak. The term can also refer figuratively to someone who speaks on behalf of another person or organization.
- A person who speaks without moving their lips, especially while operating a puppet or dummy.
- A person who voices the opinions, statements, or messages of another person or group.
"The ventriloquist performed with a wooden puppet, making the crowd laugh as the puppet seemed to answer her questions."
"The ventriloquist put a comical expression on the puppet and answered the audience's questions."
"Several colleagues treated him as a ventriloquist, expecting him to repeat the director's exact words."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple performers.
"The two ventriloquists shared the stage during the final act."
A ventriloquist literally performs as a “belly-speaker”: the word comes from Latin roots meaning “belly” and “to speak.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ventriloquist come from?
The word entered English in the early 18th century from Latin ventriloquus, a “belly-speaker.” Its formation joined venter, meaning “belly,” with loqui, meaning “to speak,” reflecting the traditional description of producing speech without moving the lips. The related English forms ventriloquism and ventriloquy preserve the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How ventriloquist is actually used
The word is most commonly used for a performer who makes a puppet or dummy appear to speak. Its figurative use, meaning someone who speaks for another, is usually mildly critical or humorous. It is not generally used for ordinary lip-sync performers or for people who simply speak for others in professional settings.
Easily confused with ventriloquist
A ventriloquist is the person who performs the act, whereas ventriloquism is the practice or art of speaking without moving the lips, often with a puppet.