small fortune

small for·tune
UK/smɔːl ˈfɔːtʃuːn/US/smɔl ˈfɔɹtʃən/US/-tʃun/

noun

A large amount of money, especially one paid for something.

“Divorcing my wife cost me a small fortune.”

Similar
bundlemintpile
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Meanings

nounsmall fortune (plural small fortunes)

plural small fortunes

  1. colloquialexcessiveA large amount of money, especially one paid for something.

    Divorcing my wife cost me a small fortune.

    Synonyms: bundle, mint, pile

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA large amount of money, especially one paid for something.

Similar
bundlemintpile
Also see
bundlemintpile

Origin

From small + fortune (“one’s wealth; the amount of money one has, especially if it is vast; large amount of money”), suggesting a sizeable sum of money but not all of one’s wealth.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Hungarian kisebb vagyon
  • kisebb vagyonlarge amount of money
Romanian mică avere, căruță de bani
  • mică averelarge amount of money
  • căruță de banilarge amount of money
Russian кру́глая копе́йка
  • кру́глая копе́йка (krúglaja kopéjka)large amount of money
Cite this entry
APA

small fortune. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/small%20fortune

MLA

“small fortune.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/small%20fortune. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “small fortune,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/small%20fortune.

Source: small fortune on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.