Peter Pan

American  

noun

1. the hero of Sir James M. Barrie's play about a boy who never grew up.

2. (italics) the play itself (1904).

---

Peter Pan British  

noun

1. a youthful, boyish, or immature man

---

Peter Pan Cultural  

1. (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

The main feature of the bedroom was the only piece of decor: a poster of Peter Pan leading Wendy Darling out of her nursery window to take her to Neverland, hanging over the head of the bed.

From Salon

One might wonder why a twenty-something aspiring rock star would choose a children’s film like “Peter Pan” to be the centerpiece of his bedroom.

From Salon

In my interview with Springsteen, he recalled the significance of “Peter Pan” coming from his childhood: “It was one of the first pictures I remember seeing. I remember seeing ‘Peter Pan’ with my grandmother.

From Salon

After connecting the stories, it appeared that as Springsteen was working out a rough version of “Born to Run,” he was facing the poster of Peter Pan and Wendy Darling, thus finding inspiration for the name of his latest leading lady.

From Salon

When asked if he saw the narrator of “Born to Run” as Peter Pan, Springsteen said, “No, not really, but there’s a little bit of a ‘Peter Pan’ subtext in ‘Born to Run’ if you look for it.

From Salon