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
Some 250 miles west, in Beaumont, Texas, Álvarez meets Ed Poullard, “a world-class fiddler and one of the last remaining Black Creole accordion makers.”
From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2024
The late fiddler was one of the few musicians Bomar knew who held on to decades of archival material.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2024
Outside, Francey slept against the wall with his brothers, and Paddy the fiddler was snoring with his head on his case.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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