puppeteer
UK[ˌpʌpɪˈtɪə(r)]US[ˌpʌpɪˈtɪr]
n
a person who operates puppets, especially in a puppet show.
Morpheme Breakdown
puppet
eer
puppet
eer
a person concerned with or engaged in
Etymology
the word 'puppeteer' is a relatively modern english formation, coined in the early 20th century. its core, 'puppet', traces back to the latin 'pupa', meaning a girl or doll, which evolved through french to denote a small figure moved by strings or hands. the agent suffix '-eer', borrowed via french from latin '-arius', is used to form nouns indicating a person associated with a particular thing or activity. thus, the literal construction "doll-person" logically evolved to specifically denote the performer who animates and gives voice to inanimate figures in a theatrical performance.
Analysis
Structure: puppet + eer
- puppet: from middle french 'poupette', a diminutive of 'poupe' (doll), from vulgar latin 'puppa', from latin 'pupa' (girl, doll). functions as the core noun denoting the object being manipulated.
- eer: from middle dutch '-ier', from old french '-ier', from latin '-arius' (agent suffix). functions as a noun-forming suffix meaning "a person concerned with or engaged in" a specified activity.
Examples
the puppeteer skillfully manipulated the marionette's strings to convey a sense of sorrow.
she trained for years to become a master puppeteer for the renowned children's theatre.
from behind the curtain, the puppeteer provided all the character voices for the show.