fiddler
Americannoun
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a person who plays the fiddle, esp in folk music
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See fiddler crab
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a person who wastes time or acts aimlessly
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informal a cheat or petty rogue
Etymology
Origin of fiddler
before 1100; Middle English, Old English fithelere; cognate with Dutch vedelaar, German Fiedler. See fiddle, -er 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The 4,000-year-old stone circle is said to represent nine petrified ladies, while the King Stone is said to be the fossilised fiddler who played for them.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
It details the rise, against the odds, of a talented but reticent folk fiddler who evolves into a concert artist thanks largely to the efforts of those who care about him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
The bluegrass-centric tune positions Ferrell on fiddle alongside lead fiddler Oliver Craven, while drums, mandolin, banjo and bass flesh out its updated sense of tradition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2024
In the late 1980s, Mr. McReynolds toured and recorded with the Masters, a bluegrass supergroup that included the fiddler Kenny Baker, the dobro player Josh Graves and the banjo player and guitarist Eddie Adcock.
From New York Times ● Jun. 25, 2023
Occasionally some ragamuffin troupe would mum a play on a street corner or I’d hear a fiddler in a pub.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
