Second-fiddle meaning

One who plays a secondary role.
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Second fiddle is a role played by an assistant or second-in-command to someone else.

An example of second fiddle is the Vice President who serves under and assists the President.

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A secondary role.
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The part played by the second violin section of an orchestra or by the second violin of a quartet, etc.
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(music) A fiddle part in harmony to the first fiddle.

The second fiddle on that tune is almost as hard as the first fiddle.

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(music) The person playing second fiddle.

I've been second fiddle in that band for ten years now.

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(idiomatic) A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.

I'm tired of being your second fiddle!

I'm tired of playing second fiddle to you.

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play second fiddle
  • to have secondary status, as in the affection or attention of another
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Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Second-fiddle Sentence Examples

  • The strangest thing about the gig is that music really does seem to take second fiddle to comedy.

  • The space in itself plays second fiddle to the lower gallery.

  • The book looks to redress the imbalance of Paul being second fiddle to Lennon's genius.

  • It's because everyone wants to play the 1st violin, but very few to play second fiddle!

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Related articles

Words near second-fiddle in the Dictionary