"Poppet" is just another name for "doll." The Medieval English word for doll was "poppet." The French word "poupette" meant the same and was derived from the Latin word "pupa." The Spanish word for puppet is "titere" and derived from the French word "petite," which means "little one." The stringed marionette puppet did not evolve until the 17th century. The German nickname for "Dorothy" was "doll" and as Germany had a great influence on the English, they began using the word doll instead of puppet or poppet by the 18th century.
Actually, a poppet was any doll that was probably made from cloth. Many dolls resembled puppets with only a fabric handle under the dress to hold on to. There is no particular pattern for a poppet so references to poppets may describe many different cloth dolls. The word "poppet" was used in early America and is referenced in the book "Sarah Morton's Day" by Kate Waters. This book is about a day in the life of a Pilgrim girl.
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