Bunraku

noun

Bun·​ra·​ku bu̇n-ˈrä-(ˌ)kü How to pronounce Bunraku (audio)
: Japanese puppet theater featuring large costumed wooden puppets, puppeteers who are onstage, and a chanter who speaks all the lines

Examples of Bunraku in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Michael is around three feet tall and is operated, Bunraku style, by three puppeteers. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Bunraku.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bunraku was in 1920

Dictionary Entries Near Bunraku

Cite this Entry

“Bunraku.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bunraku. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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