second fiddle

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See synonyms for second fiddle on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing filling a secondary role, especially to one immediately superior (also used attributively): He has a certain strength and humility that comes from being in a second-fiddle position for years.That new copycat seafood restaurant will never be more than a second fiddle to ours.

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Idioms about second fiddle

play second fiddle, to act in a secondary role: She's tired of playing second fiddle to her egomaniacal teammate.

Origin of second fiddle

First recorded in 1825–35

Words nearby second fiddle

second division, seconde, secondee, Second Empire, second estate, second fiddle, second floor, second-foot, second-generation, second gentleman, second growth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use second fiddle in a sentence

Gunshots rang out in Paris this morning on a second day of deadly violence that has stunned the French capital.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And as he adjusted to this change in circumstances, he screamed at himself a second time: Wait!
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A second document was titled: “Gambia Reborn: A Charter for Transition from Dictatorship to Democracy and Development.”
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If 29 vote for someone else, the race for speaker goes to a second ballot for the first time in almost 100 years.
Kamikaze Congress Prepares to Strike Boehner|Ben Jacobs|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

At least 29 fellow Republicans must vote against Boehner for a second ballot to be reached, and that seems very unlikely.
The YOLO Caucus' New Cry for Attention|Ben Jacobs|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In treble, second and fourth, the first change is a dodge behind; and the second time the treble leads, there's a double Bob.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing|Richard Duckworth and Fabian Stedman
On his head was the second-hand hat of some parvenu's coachman, gold lace, cockade and all.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
The beauty, the mystery,—this fierce sunshine or something—stir——' She hesitated for a fraction of a second.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
Roman Pane who accompanied Columbus on his second voyage alludes to another method of using the herb.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
He set down as the second the golden rule, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them.”
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for second fiddle

second fiddle

noun informal

the second violin in a string quartet or one of the second violins in an orchestra
the musical part assigned to such an instrument

a secondary status

a person who has a secondary status

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with second fiddle

second fiddle

see play second fiddle.

second fiddle

Idioms about second fiddle

Origin of second fiddle

Words nearby second fiddle

Words related to second fiddle

How to use second fiddle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for second fiddle

Other Idioms and Phrases with second fiddle