Meaning

noun a small figure of a person operated from above with strings by a puppeteer

noun a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else

noun a doll with a hollow head of a person or animal and a cloth body; intended to fit over the hand and be manipulated with the fingers

originFrom Middle English popet, probably from, though attested earlier than, Middle French poupette, diminutive of poupée (cf. also Medieval Latin *pupata), ultimately derived from Latin pupa (“doll, puppet; girl”). The nominal form first appears c. 1531, and the verbal form c. 1635. See also puppy.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0