This is the 7428th most frequent French word.
pantin
"Pantin" means "puppet" or "marionette" in English.
In this sentence, "pantin" is used metaphorically to refer to someone who lacks autonomy and is controlled by others.
Ce politicien est un simple pantin des puissants.
This politician is merely a puppet of the powerful.
Here, "pantin" is used literally to describe a type of traditional toy with movable parts.
L'enfant jouait avec un vieux pantin trouvé dans le grenier.
The child was playing with an old puppet found in the attic.
The word "pantin" is employed figuratively to describe someone moving chaotically, like a puppet with loose strings.