big fish in small ponds

A form of big fish in a small pond — One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.

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Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of big fish in a small pond
Cite this entry
APA

big fish in small ponds. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20fish%20in%20small%20ponds

MLA

“big fish in small ponds.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20fish%20in%20small%20ponds. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “big fish in small ponds,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20fish%20in%20small%20ponds.

Source: big fish in small ponds on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.