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Glite Dictionary

Tinker Bell

16 4.6
A small magical fairy in the story Peter Pan who helps the boy Peter Pan and his friends
  • proper noun
  • Literature
: Campanita
  • Tinker Bell.

Examples

  • You will go ashore, pick up Tinker Bell and bring her to me.

    Peter Pan (1953)

  • Now you listen to me, Tinker Bell.

    Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011)

  • Is this where we all clap for Tinker Bell?

    Dear God (1996)

  • Three years later, she became Disneyland's first Tinker Bell.

    Behind the Burly Q (2010)

  • PETER: Tinker Bell.

    Peter Pan (1953)

  • I wouldn't want this to go any farther, but the cook told me that the first mate told him that he heard that Pan has banished Tinker Bell.

    Peter Pan (1953)

  • In the Disney movie, Tinker Bell is a beloved character known for her playful personality.

  • Children all around the world recognize Tinker Bell as the small fairy from Peter Pan.

  • During the parade, Tinker Bell flew over the audience, spreading magic and joy.

Surface Forms

Tinker Bell main

Morphology

Tinker + Bell

Tinker Bell is a lexicalized proper name for a specific fictional fairy; its meaning (a small magical character) is not compositionally derived from the words 'tinker' and 'bell'. Because it is a culturally specific, conventionalized name, a B1 learner who knows the constituents would not reliably infer the character meaning.

Etymology

Tinker Bell may come from a simple picture: tinker meant someone who fixed metal pots ('to mend'), and bell suggests a tiny ringing sound. One popular story says the name suits a busy little fairy who is handy and bright, which is why Tinker Bell became the name for a small, magical helper.