What does it Mean to ‘Play Second Fiddle’?

To play second fiddle means to be in a subordinate role to someone else; to have a smaller responsibility or power than someone else.

This phrase comes from the terminology of orchestras. Fiddle is another name for violin.

In orchestras, the most prominent member is the musician who plays the lead violin and gets the most recognition. This person leads the group of second violins who play secondary tunes to the first violins who usually play the melody.

Over time, this phrase began to be used for having a subsidiary or smaller role than someone else.

For example —

“He resigned from the post of vice president of the company, saying that he is tired of playing second fiddle.”

It means he resigned from the company because he doesn’t want to work in a secondary role anymore. He wants to be the president of the company.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.