Peter Pan

American

noun

the hero of Sir James M. Barrie's play about a boy who never grew up.
(italics) the play itself (1904).

Peter Pan British

noun

a youthful, boyish, or immature man

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Peter Pan Cultural

(1904) A play by the Scottish author James Matthew Barrie about a boy who lives in Neverland, better known as Never-Never Land, a country where no child ever grows up. Peter brings the three children of the Darling family from London to Never-Never Land; they eventually decide not to stay, but Wendy, the eldest, promises to return every spring. Peter is assisted by his guardian fairy, Tinker Bell, and in the play he defeats his enemy, the pirate Captain Hook.

Etymology

Origin of Peter Pan

C20: after the main character in Peter Pan (1904), a play by J. M. Barrie

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Disneyland next door isn’t timeless because it has “Peter Pan” and “Star Wars.”

From Los Angeles Times

He knew if he could reach the second star to the right and go straight on till morning, he’d be well on his way to Neverland, just like the kids in Peter Pan.

From Literature

She took his copy of Peter Pan, which they’d been assigned at school that week, and Danny knew he wouldn’t be getting it back.

From Literature

The mermaids of the lagoon in Peter Pan and the enchanted island of Avalon from the legends of King Arthur.

From Literature

He was outraged that no one told him about Ola’s affair prior to “Peter Pan.”

From The Wall Street Journal

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