noun

ventriloquist

vehn-TRIHL-uh-kwihst

Ventriloquist (noun) means a performer who speaks without moving their lips so their voice seems to come from a puppet or dummy. Example: “The ventriloquist had the whole crowd laughing at her dummy's jokes.”

noun

A performer who speaks without moving their lips so their voice seems to come from a puppet or dummy.

"The ventriloquist had the whole crowd laughing at her dummy's jokes."

How to use ventriloquist

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA performer skilled at making it sound like their voice is coming from a puppet.

Common pairings

ventriloquist dummy a skilled ventriloquist

Word forms

ventriloquists plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “ventriloquist” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ had the whole crowd laughing at her dummy's jokes.

Etymology

Formed from ventriloquy plus the agent suffix -ist.

Rhymes for ventriloquist

linguist

See all rhymes for ventriloquist →

Frequently asked questions

What does “ventriloquist” mean?

The word “ventriloquist” means a performer who speaks without moving their lips so their voice seems to come from a puppet or dummy. In plain terms, a performer skilled at making it sound like their voice is coming from a puppet.

How do you pronounce “ventriloquist”?

“Ventriloquist” is pronounced vehn-TRIHL-uh-kwihst (/vɛnˈtɹɪl.ə.kwɪst/ in IPA).

How do you use “ventriloquist” in a sentence?

Here is “ventriloquist” used in a sentence: “The ventriloquist had the whole crowd laughing at her dummy's jokes.”

What part of speech is “ventriloquist”?

“Ventriloquist” is a noun.