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

There were evil cicadas buzzing around, a sentient instant camera taking pictures on its own, a possibly nefarious ventriloquist dummy, and an evil ghost lady in a kimono. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024

The sock puppet was originally brought to life by ventriloquist and puppeteer Shari Lewis for the children's TV series Captain Kangaroo in March 1956. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

In the film’s climactic ending, we’re introduced to a story involving a ventriloquist dummy that set the stage for just about every inanimate-object-that’s-actually-alive film moving forward. —B.j. Colangelo, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024

Much of the first season of Goosebumps is focused on the books’ main villain, Slappy, an evil ventriloquist’s dummy who’s story arc is revealed in piecemeal, in both the books and this reboot of the television series. —Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024

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