Poupee

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of doll typically representing a human figure, often used as a toy for children to play with or for decorative purposes
2. A fashion model or representation in clothing, particularly one that showcases trends or styles, resembling a human form
3. A lifelike figure or mannequin employed in displays, often seen in store windows, to exhibit garments or fashion items

Etymology: The word comes from French, where "poupée" means "doll." Its ultimate source is the Late Latin "puppa," a child's word for a doll, which is also the root of the English "pupa." The connection to "puppet" is closer still: English took "puppet" from Old French "poupette," a diminutive of "poupée," so a puppet is literally a little doll. The sense of a figure used to display clothes is a later extension of the basic meaning. A doll dressed in garments for show is an easy step from a toy to a model, and the French term came to cover that role. English speakers borrowed it in this sense, so the word now names a shop or fashion figure as well as a child's toy.

Synonyms: doll, puppet, figurine, toy doll