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Where does the word "puppet" come from? It comes from Latin pupa, passing through French before entering English (1500s).
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Where does the word "puppet" come from? It comes from Latin pupa, passing through French before entering English (1500s).
Puppet’s story begins in Latin: pupa meant “girl, doll.” The root of 'pupil' and 'pupa'. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as poupette. A diminutive of 'poupe', doll. It reached English by 1500s as puppet. 'puppet government' dates from the 1800s. Today, puppet means a movable model of a person or animal.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pupa "girl, doll", the root of 'pupil' and 'pupa'.
- Stage 2 · French · 1500s poupette "little doll", a diminutive of 'poupe', doll.
- Stage 3 · English · 1500s puppet "doll", 'puppet government' dates from the 1800s.