Words: poppet, puppet, puppy [AHED]

NOUN: 1. A poppet valve. 2. Nautical a. A small wooden strip on a gunwale that forms or supports an oarlock. b. One of the beams of a launching cradle supporting a ship's hull. 3. Chiefly British A darling.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English popet, small child, doll, puppet.

NOUN: 1. A small figure of a person or animal, having a cloth body and hollow head, designed to be fitted over and manipulated by the hand. 2. A figure having jointed parts animated from above by strings or wires; a marionette. 3. A toy representing a human figure; a doll. 4. One whose behavior is determined by the will of others: a political puppet.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English poppet, doll, possibly from Anglo-Norman poppe, doll.

NOUN: A young dog; a pup.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English popi, small pet dog, perhaps from Anglo-Norman poppe, doll, from Vulgar Latin *puppa, from Latin pupa, girl, doll.