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big league

1 American  
[big leeg] / ˈbɪg ˈlig /

noun

  1. Sports. a major league, as in baseball.

    His debut in the big leagues was as a relief pitcher for the Dodgers in the final game of the regular season.

  2. Informal. the area of greatest competition, highest achievement or rewards, etc..

    He's a local politician who isn't ready for the big league.
big-league 2 American  
[big-leeg] / ˈbɪgˈlig /

adjective

  1. Sports. of or belonging to a major league.

    a big-league pitcher.

  2. Informal. among the largest, foremost, etc., of its kind.

    the big-league steel companies.
big league Idioms  

  1. An area of tough competition and high rewards; the largest or foremost of its kind. For example, Winning an Oscar put this unknown actress in the big league. The term alludes to the major (big) leagues of American baseball. [Late 1800s] Also see big time, def. 2.

Other Word Forms

  • big leaguer noun
  • big-leaguer noun

Etymology

Origin of big league1

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Origin of big-league2

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; adjective use of big league

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.