small fry

[smawl frahy]

noun

plural

small fry, small fry, small fries. 

1. a child: He's a small fry with a big personality.

   Here's a treat for the small fry.

   He's a small fry with a big personality.

2. an unimportant person or object.

   Her fancy parties were closed to the small fry.

3. a small or young fish.

small fry

plural noun

1. people or things regarded as unimportant

2. young children

3. young or small fishes

Other Word Forms

• small-fry adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of small fry¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; fry ²

Idioms and Phrases

Young children, as in This show is not suitable for small fry .

Persons of little importance or influence, as in She wasn't about to invite the Washington small fry to the reception . Both usages allude to fry in the sense of “young or small fish.” [Late 1800s]

Related Words

• baby 
• boy 
• daughter 
• girl 
• juvenile 
• kid 
• minor 
• offspring 
• son 
• youngster 
• youth