Meanings
verbplay first fiddle (third-person singular simple present plays first fiddle, present participle playing first fiddle, simple past and past participle played first fiddle)
present singular third person plays first fiddle · participle present playing first fiddle · participle past played first fiddle · past played first fiddle
- idiomaticintransitiveTo play a leading role.
Origin
From the first violin in an orchestra.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
play first fiddle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20first%20fiddle
MLA
“play first fiddle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20first%20fiddle. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “play first fiddle,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20first%20fiddle.
Source: play first fiddle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.