puppeteer vs performer

puppeteer and performer both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
puppeteer	Yes	No	No	No
performer	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, performer is a hypernym of puppeteer; that is, performer is a word with a broader meaning than puppeteer:

puppeteer: one who operates puppets or marionettes
performer: an entertainer who performs a dramatic or musical work for an audience

Other hypernyms of puppeteer include performing artist.

puppeteer (noun)	performer (noun)
one who operates puppets or marionettes	an entertainer who performs a dramatic or musical work for an audience