Charlie McCarthy

noun

Charlie Mc·​Car·​thy
-kȧ|,
|thi also |tē or |tē or -i
plural Charlie McCarthys
: one under the complete domination of another often while enjoying apparent independence : stooge, yes-man, dummy
uses him as a Charlie McCarthy to prove that even a schoolboy can see through the fallacious arithmetic of the oppositionElmer Davis

Word History

Etymology

after Charlie McCarthy, ventriloquist's dummy made famous by Edgar Bergen born 1903 American ventriloquist & comedian

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near Charlie McCarthy

Cite this Entry

“Charlie McCarthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Charlie%20McCarthy. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!