ventriloquist

noun

ven·​tril·​o·​quist ven-ˈtri-lə-kwist 

: one who uses or is skilled in ventriloquism

especially : one who provides entertainment by using ventriloquism to carry on an apparent conversation with a hand-manipulated dummy

ventriloquistic

(ˌ)ven-ˌtri-lə-ˈkwi-stik 

adjective

Examples of ventriloquist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As Peter Biskind would later write in Down and Dirty Pictures, some in the industry left that night convinced Gere was performing as Weinstein’s ventriloquist dummy. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 11 Jan. 2024

Side by side, the message continued as Peele, like a digital ventriloquist, put more words in the former president’s mouth. —Brooke Borel, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2018

His name was Brent Vernon, a local performer and ventriloquist. —Kelly Heinzerling, ABC News, 3 May 2024

The couple shares one daughter, Nina, an actress and ventriloquist. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 13 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin ventriloquus "person who appears to produce speech sounds from within his or her body (as during spirit possession or under control of a deity)" (from Latin ventr-, venter "belly, abdomen" + -i- -i- + -loquus, agent derivative of loquī "to speak") + -ist entry 1 — more at venter, eloquent

Note: The Late Latin word was coined as a translation of Greek engastrímythos.

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ventriloquist

noun

ven·​tril·​o·​quist ven-ˈtril-ə-kwəst 

: a person skilled in speaking in such a way that the voice seems to come from a source other than the speaker

ventriloquism

-ˌkwiz-əm

noun

Etymology

from Latin ventriloquus "ventriloquist," from ventr-, venter "stomach, belly" and loqui "to speak"; so called from the early belief that the voice is produced in the ventriloquist's stomach