second fiddle

noun

1. a person or thing filling a secondary role, especially to one immediately superior (often used attributively): That new copycat seafood restaurant will never be more than a second fiddle to ours.

   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.

second fiddle

noun

1. 1. the second violin in a string quartet or one of the second violins in an orchestra
   2. the musical part assigned to such an instrument
2. a secondary status
3. a person who has a secondary status

Word History and Origins

Origin of second fiddle¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. play second fiddle, to act in a secondary role:

   She's tired of playing second fiddle to her egomaniacal teammate.

More idioms and phrases containing second fiddle

see play second fiddle .

Example Sentences

Bill declined to play the second-fiddle parts; he took himself out of Mary's orchestra entirely.

From Project Gutenberg

He found it hard to believe a man of my sort, so self-assured, would stand the truth from a man of his second-fiddle sort.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Fox-Darriel found the rle of second-fiddle a little dull; still, it was well worth while to play it.

From Project Gutenberg

They might have found a place for me, too, had I consented to play second-fiddle where I had been used to lead the band.

From Project Gutenberg