Learn English – What does the phrase “I have but one claim to fame” mean

expressionsmeaning

I would appreciate if someone could explain the meaning of the phrase "I have but one claim to fame". I understand every separate word, but the meaning of the whole phrase is fairly obscure to me, as I am not a native speaker.

Best Answer

Let's break this down into simpler parts:

  • "but one" = one, and only one.

  • "claim to fame" = reason for being famous.

In other words, the declaration is equivalent to "There is only one reason that I have become famous."