second fiddle
The idiom "second fiddle" originates from orchestral music, where the second violinist plays a supporting role to the first violinist.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2General
(idiomatic)A person who plays a supporting or minor role compared to someone else.
Example
- She was tired of playing second fiddle and decided to start her own business.
B2Workplace
(idiomatic)A subordinate role in a professional setting, often to someone in a higher position.
Example
- John felt like he was always playing second fiddle to his more experienced colleague.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "second fiddle":
second bananasecond bestsecond stringfirst fiddletake a back seatback burnersecond to nonesmall fryfirst violinsecond-class citizenthird string