marionette Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a small figure of a person operated from above with strings by a puppeteer
    puppet.

WordNet

Mar`i*o*nette" noun
Etymology
F. marionette, prop. a dim. of Marie Mary.
Definitions
  1. A puppet moved by strings, as in a puppet show.
  2. (Zoöl.) The buffel duck.

Webster 1913