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tall poppy
[ tawl pop-ee ]
noun
, Chiefly Australian, New Zealand Informal
- a person of great success, talent, or status:
They are the best and the brightest, our very own tall poppies.
tall poppy
noun
- informal.a person who has a high salary or is otherwise prominent
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Word History and Origins
Origin of tall poppy1
First recorded in 1980–85; from an anecdote about Thrasybulus, tyrant of Miletus, 7th century b.c., related in Herodotus
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Word History and Origins
Origin of tall poppy1
perhaps from Tarquin's decapitation of the tallest poppies in his garden, to indicate the fate of the most prominent citizens of Gabii
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Example Sentences
This is very common in minority communities where, you know, there’s a tall poppy syndrome where someone emerges and seeks to represent people, they have to be cut down pretty quickly.
From Washington Blade
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