small potatoes

noun

, (used with a singular or plural verb)

1. a person or thing of little significance, importance, or value:

   His salary was small potatoes for an executive of his ability.

small potatoes

noun

1. informal.
   someone or something of little significance or value, esp a small amount of money

Word History and Origins

Origin of small potatoes¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Endorsing a path to citizenship for DREAM Act recipients is fine, but small potatoes.

From The Daily Beast

“Sports franchises are very, very small potatoes,” Leeds said.

From The Daily Beast

This is pretty small potatoes compared to what Bush supported.

From The Daily Beast

And the successful strike against Osama bin Laden the next day made the whole episode seem, in retrospect, like small potatoes.

From The Daily Beast

Defrauding a $187 million estate seems like decidedly small potatoes in the age of Madoff and massive government bailouts.

From The Daily Beast

Besides a few small potatoes, one dried goat ham was all our zealous friends could procure.

From Project Gutenberg

Of course we won't bother with them tomorrow night, for that is small potatoes compared to the jewel plot.

From Project Gutenberg

For this purpose, small potatoes that are not suitable for other methods of preparation may be used.

From Project Gutenberg

But I suppose they'd look like small potatoes to anybody who's seen Rome.

From Project Gutenberg

Crahauns or Kirraghauns; very small potatoes not used by the family: given to pigs.

From Project Gutenberg