Phrase guide

play second fiddle

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the second violin in an orchestra.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: jäädä toiseksi — idiomatic
  • German: die zweite Geige spielen — idiomatic
  • Icelandic: leika aukahlutverk — idiomatic
  • Icelandic: vera lægra settur — idiomatic
  • Icelandic: mega sín minna — idiomatic
  • Icelandic: vinna skítverkin — idiomatic
  • Norwegian Bokmål: spille annenfiolin — idiomatic
  • Polish: grać drugie skrzypce — idiomatic
  • Slovak: hrať druhé husle — idiomatic
  • Slovene: igrati drugo violino — idiomatic