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Apr 21, 2011
This week's theme
Words derived from musical instruments

This week's words
calliopean
pariah
clarion
second fiddle
highfalutin

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

second fiddle

PRONUNCIATION:
(SEK-uhnd FID-uhl)

MEANING:
noun: A secondary role. A person in such a role.

ETYMOLOGY:
In an orchestra, the first violins carry the main melody while second violins are considered to be in a subordinate position. Earliest documented use: 1809.

USAGE:
"He [Bollywood actor Navin Nischol] was known to be egoistic and did not want to play second fiddle to any actor."
Bharati Dubey; Navin Nischol Did Not Play Second Fiddle to Any Actor; The Times of India (New Delhi); Mar 20, 2011.

See more usage examples of second fiddle in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Catch-and-release, that's like running down pedestrians in your car and then, when they get up and limp away, saying -- Off you go! That's fine. I just wanted to see if I could hit you. -Ellen DeGeneres, comedian, television host, and actress (b. 1958)

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