What does “small fry” mean?

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Imightbeafanofthis@reddit

It was originally slang for a child (based on a 1930's Max Fleischer cartoon), then it became slang for anyone who is diminutive in size.

This is one of the first jazz pieces I learned when I started learning jazz. My mom used to sing it at me when I misbehaved. :)

Small Fry

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GrimSpirit42@reddit

When you get a bag (or box) of French Fries, some will be long, most middling and a few short ones.

The short ones are called the 'small fry'. So, you're the small fry of the bunch.

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Gau-Mail3286@reddit

A little child. I think it came from baby fish being called "fry".

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North_Artichoke_6721@reddit

A small, short, or young person.

Although it can also be used ironically or humorously on a very tall or larger person.

English speakers have been doing this type of nickname for centuries. For example, in the Robin Hood legends, Robin Hood has a friend called Little John who is actually a very big man.

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coyssiempre@reddit

Have people just forgotten the concept of reading context? Obviously, it means a small person, unless you thought we were talking about each other's cocks or something.

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Fry is what people call newly hatched fish. So it could be an affectionate term for a child or short person. Or it could also be an imsult that someone or something isn't important enough to worry about or bother with.

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LadyFoxfire@reddit

“Fry” in this context is a baby fish, so they’re calling you tiny like a newly hatched fish.

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shadowmib@reddit

Oh, I had assumed it had something to do with french fries like a short french fry

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JoshHuff1332@reddit

I think you could interpret that now, with french fries and fast food sizes being a thing, but the term is much older than both.

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shadowmib@reddit

I have never heard of anyone refer to a fish as a fry so understandably the only reference I had was french fries

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JoshHuff1332@reddit

I heard it a few times where Im from, but its one of those things it would never occur to me to use it that way. Id wager 90+% of people dont get the reference and think its about french fries.

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KatanaCW@reddit

A small fry is a baby fish. The term small fry can mean you are tiny, young, or unimportant or any combo of those. It can be meant as a friendly nickname or it can be used to imply the person is not worth your time. In the phrase you mentioned, it usually is just a friendly nickname for someone younger.

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Setsailshipwreck@reddit

You know it’s funny I’m an active fisherman but for some reason I always associated the slang with French fries 😂 of course small fish makes perfect sense

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2quacklikeaduck@reddit

Yeaaahhhhh until right this second I always thought it meant the smallest French fry in the container. Small but usually pretty crispy and actually my favorite ones.

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MontEcola@reddit

a fry is a baby fish. a 20 inch adult produces eggs. eggs produce a fry, at 3/4” or so. so a small fry is pretty small compared to the big boys.

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Amazing_Moose3218@reddit

Pip squeak

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MelodyMaster5656@reddit

Runt.

Squirt.

… shortstack

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PortCityPJ@reddit

For OP’s sake, I just want to add that I think “small fry” is usually meant more kindly than a phrase like runt. I think of it as something a parent might say to lovingly tease a child. Depending on the context, the person calling you small fry might mean it like a friendly joke, not an insult.

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cdb03b@reddit

In literal terms it is a form of small juvenile fish. When used in reference to a human it is calling them short or little. It can be endearing such as when used as a nickname for a sibling, or it could be insulting. Tone is what dictates which is meant.

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StupidLemonEater@reddit

Literally, "baby fish."

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Miserable_Smoke@reddit

The kind one doesn't bother to catch (, but might be used for bait?)

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MilkChocolate21@reddit

Short round. Lil bit. Peanut.

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Weary-Knowledge-7180@reddit

Short. People used to call me this in middle school all the time. Haven't grown much since then but people grew out of saying it!

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TheAnonymousProxy@reddit

Because they were big fish in a small pond.

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Not_Cool_Ice_Cold@reddit

That euphanism has absolutely nothing to do with "small fry", which, as others have mentioned, just means short in height.

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Striking_Fun_6379@reddit

The biggest little catfish in the deep blue sea.

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ngshafer@reddit

I’m sorry you’ve been called that. It’s not a very nice thing to call someone. They’re making fun of you for being short. Unless of course you’re actually very tall, in which case it’s ironic and very funny.

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Sad_Kaleidoscope894@reddit

Depends in the context. No context your short. A certain context, your insignificant

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Dontdothatfucker@reddit

You’re little

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Turbulent_Age_7678@reddit (OP)

Im not little

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Redbubble89@reddit

weight? height?

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Turbulent_Age_7678@reddit (OP)

5 foot 4, 260 pounds

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piwithekiwi@reddit

You're pretty short. This is why you are called small fry.

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Turbulent_Age_7678@reddit (OP)

In shoes I’m 5 foot 5 though. Does everyone get called small fry if they’re sub 5 foot 5?

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AnotherCatLover88@reddit

I’m 5’4” as a female and I consider myself short. You’re a small fry lol

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Dr_Watson349@reddit

You are a good 5 inches shorter than the average American male.

You are the same size as the average American female, when you wear your shoes.

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shelwood46@reddit

Yes, even women.

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Innuendo64_@reddit

By shoes do you specifically mean high heels?

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piwithekiwi@reddit

5'9 is the average male height, so you're below average

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Mellow_Zelkova@reddit

"In shoes I'm 5'5"

Only a shortie would say this

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_SmashLampjaw_@reddit

My man... You're treading on 'chode' territory with that height/weight ratio.

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ayebrade69@reddit

well that explains it, small fry

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CVetta@reddit

A little wide?

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Redbubble89@reddit

That's like 165 cm for metric people?

As a guy, that is short. Most guys are maybe 5'8 to 5'10 or touching 6 foot in the US.

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LadyOfTheNutTree@reddit

It can also just be a kind of goofy thing to say. Like sometimes when I’m leaving a group of friends I’ll say “smell you later, nerds”

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dontforgettowriteme@reddit

Then it's being used ironically. Or, they're just calling you that for kicks and giggles, like a nickname.

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DuckFanSouth@reddit

It can also mean unimportant.

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cptjeff@reddit

This is what it usually means. I've almost always heard it used in the peon/pawn/minion sense, not the physically small sense.

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QuercusSambucus@reddit

How tall are you?

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Megalocerus@reddit

Young? I grew up with it meaning children.

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blueponies1@reddit

Small fry! 🤣🫵🏻

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WarrenMulaney@reddit

Sure thing, Small Fry

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Icy-Rich6400@reddit

Also sometimes big men can be jokingly called tiny or small fry.

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mustang6172@reddit

Short

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giraflor@reddit

Fry are little fish. They might be babies, I think. People often throw them back because there’s not much flesh on them. So, I always hear it in context of customers who don’t spend a lot vs. “the big catch” that puts your store in black for the year.

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kaleb2959@reddit

A "fry" in this context is a baby fish. Are you short? That would be what they mean, and it's insulting in most contexts. Find better Americans to hang out with.

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FunProfessional570@reddit

Would be used talking to a little kid.

Maliciously use it when wanting to make someone feel small or insignificant or infer they are juvenile.

Some people are clueless and would use it to address anyone that’s small in stature.

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elunabee@reddit

Friends? Coworkers? Strangers? Depending on whose saying this, it's pretty rude or it could be a term of endearment. Other posters have correctly identified that they're calling you short. I've ever only heard it as a joking term towards children and people who are actually very tall (my brother is 6'9" tall and hears stuff like this, he hates it). I could not imagine calling a grown man who is actually shorter than average "small fry".

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DryFoundation2323@reddit

It's a reference to the concept of "small fish in a big pond". Baby fish are called fry. So a small fry would be a small baby fish. So if you called somebody small fry you're just saying they're very little or it could be a metaphor for someone who lacks power or money or whatever.

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MmmIceCreamSoBAD@reddit

They're either making fun of your size or its a term of endearment. Maybe both at the same time.

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lincolnhawk@reddit

Fry means fish babies. Small fry literally means little fish babies, but can be used to refer to any low significance system component. Like an individual fry isn’t having a huge impact on a pond ecosystem, so a small fry painting company is not having a huge impact on the home painting industry at large.

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jaebassist@reddit

Little bit

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___coolcoolcool@reddit

Little guy.

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AutofluorescentPuku@reddit

Fry are fish hatchlings. Small fry are baby fish.

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Sheetz_Wawa_Market32@reddit

The same thing Germans mean when they call someone Dreikäsehoch (three cheeses tall.)

(Yes, I know this is very helpful. You’re welcome.)

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