A fiddle is another word for a violin, especially when it is used to play folk, country, or dance music. It can also mean to handle something restlessly with your fingers.
The word likely comes from Old English “fithele” and related Germanic words for string instruments. Over time it stuck as the informal name for the violin in many music traditions.
The same instrument can be called a violin in an orchestra and a fiddle at a barn dance—only the style changes. The phrase “fit as a fiddle” originally praised being well-tuned and ready to perform, not just physically healthy.
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