Dictionary

last big thing en · NOUN

Etymology

Back-formation from next big thing.

Meanings

1. A recent fad or trend that has lost its popularity.
   • My nightstand, desktop, TiVo menu and mental to-do list are still full of last big things I never got around to— The Hulk, Friendster, hot yoga (or, for that matter, cold yoga)— and I'm paid to keep up with this stuff. 2003, Time - Volume 162, page v:
   • And, besides, appearances to the contrary, the fashion business was not really in the habit of changing bandwagons when the cutting-edgers started looking for the next big thing. They were usually still responding to the last big thing. 2011, Stephen Fried, Thing of Beauty, →ISBN, page 102:
   • We always, it seems, are provided with a glut of material on the next big thing and not enough on how to make the last big thing actually work. 2009, Alec Sharp, Patrick McDermott, Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Applications Development, →ISBN, page 4:
   • My colleagues and I are searching for the next big thing in the field. The last big thing came about 15 years ago and we're currently in a “been there, done that” mode. 2005, Eric Dolin, The Ph. D Survival Guide, →ISBN, page 19:
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see last, big, thing.

Forms