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

Jeff Dunham Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville The Guinness Book of World Records record-holder for most tickets sold for a comedy tour happens to be a ventriloquist. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2025

Lynne holds the distinction of being the youngest ventriloquist ever to win a talent competition on national or international television. —Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025

Anthony Hopkins’s antagonistic ventriloquist dummy from 1978’s Magic is the least qualified to be your best friend. —Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 28 June 2025

Thursday, July 10 Ventriloquist: Marc Griffiths the ventriloquist will entertain children during a Kids Summer Reading program at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 10 at the Poway Library, 13137 Poway Road. —Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025

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

Rhymes for ventriloquist

• numismatist
• photoresist
• podiatrist
• positivist
• recidivist
• relativist
• theosophist
• assist
• blacklist
• booklist
• checklist
• consist

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