small fortune

English

WOTD – 7 March 2021

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /smɔːl ˈfɔːtʃuːn/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (General American) IPA(key): /smɔl ˈfɔɹtʃən/, /-tʃun/
  • Hyphenation: small for‧tune

Noun

small fortune (plural small fortunes)

  1. (colloquial, hyperbolic) A large amount of money, especially one paid for something.
    Synonyms: bundle, (both informal) mint, (slang) pile
    Divorcing my wife cost me a small fortune.

Translations

Further reading

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