boy wonder

noun

1. a young man whose skills or accomplishments are precocious.

Word History and Origins

Origin of boy wonder¹

1960–65; perhaps fashioned on German Wunderkind

Example Sentences

This summer has also seen the long-awaited arrival of Brazilian boy wonder Endrick, who has already won 10 senior international caps despite only turning 18 last month.

From BBC

But the longtime southeast Los Angeles County politician still looked every part the civic boy wonder when I met him on a recent morning in his hometown of South Gate.

From Los Angeles Times

He appears as something of a historical figure a handful of pages earlier — described as one of the “American boy wonders who’d programmed and designed Commander Keen and Doom.”

From Washington Post

Hu Chunhua is known as a boy wonder who ranked first in China’s national university entrance examinations and became the youngest person to hold several official posts.

From Seattle Times

From boy wonder to the so-called Housewives' Choice, when women who supposedly knew nothing about racing would have a flutter on Lester in big races.

From BBC

Related Words

• wunderkind