‘Two Peas In a Pod’: Definition, Meaning and Examples

Did someone say to you 'two peas in a pod' and you’re wondering what it means? In this article, we’ll take a look at the meaning, origin, examples, and more.

In short:

• 'Two peas in a pod' is an idiom that describes two people or things that are very similar to the point of being nearly indistinguishable.

What Does 'Two Peas In a Pod' Mean?

'Two peas in a pod' is a phrase that is used to describe a couple that appears to be made for each other because they seem very similar. Essentially, it means that two people or things are so similar that they are practically indistinguishable from one another.

• You will usually hear the phrase stated using the word 'like,' as in 'like two peas in a pod.'

This is a sweet little phrase that can be used to describe two friends that seem to spend all of their time together, two siblings that seem to be practically attached at the hip, or any other two people or things that seem very close or very similar.

Where Does 'Two Peas In a Pod' Come From?

It's difficult to precisely pinpoint when 'two peas in a pod' was first used, as appears to be a very old expression.

One of the oldest known instances of this phrase being used can be found in a text from 1580 entitled Euphues and his England. Written in Early Modern English, it reads as follows:

"Wherin I am not unlike unto the unskilfull Painter, who having drawen the Twinnes of Hippocrates, (who wer as lyke as one pease is to an other)."

More Examples of 'Two Peas In a Pod' In Print

Using the Google Books Ngram Viewer, we see that 'two peas in a pod' was in use in publications in the early 1800s.

In an 1875 text entitled "Letters and tracts on spiritualism," we find the phrase 'two peas in a pod':

"Twas as hard to part us as two peas in a pod. But the old feller fixed him all up before he went out of town. Bill felt so grand and happy that he forgot to be sorry at leaving me."

An earlier example of the phrase appears in The Widow's Choice or One, Two, Three by Catherine G. Ward. This text was published in 1823 and included the following line:

"Nay, I have actually heard Miss Liddy say that the eyes of Lady Primrose, which are of a charming bright black, you know, and the nose of Lady Primrose, which inclines rather to the aquiline, is as like yours, when you was a young man, as two peas in a pod."

Examples of 'Two Peas In a Pod' In Sentences

How would 'two peas in a pod' be used in a sentence?

Let’s take a look at some examples:

• "She has always looked just like her older sister and they have been attached at the hip as long as I can remember. They are truly two peas in a pod."
• "He noticed that older couples seemed inclined to wear matching clothes and even started to look like one another. It's like decades of marriage transforms them into spitting images of one another, like two peas in a pod."
• "Jimmy and John used to be like two peas in a pod. These days, they couldn't look or act more differently."
• "I saw your dogs at the dog park for the first time in a long time on Friday. I know you said they were having trouble getting along at first, but now they seem like two peas in a pod."
• "Adam and June were always like two peas in a pod. I know that now that she is gone, he must be terribly lonely."
• "You know I'm rooting for you. We've always been like two peas in a pod. Even though you're doing something that doesn't make sense to me, you have my support."

Other Ways to Say 'Two Peas In a Pod'

What are some other phrases that have a similar meaning to 'two peas in a pod'?

Here are some options:

• Birds of a feather
• Two of a kind
• Cut from the same cloth
• Kindred spirits
• Mirror images

Final Thoughts About 'Two Peas In a Pod'

'Two peas in a pod' is a sweet, common idiom that can be used to describe two people or things that are so similar that they are practically indistinguishable from one another. It appears to be a very old idiom that dates back to at least the 16th century if not further.

Are you ready to learn more English phrases and expand your vocabulary? Be sure to check out our idioms blog for idioms, expressions, sayings, and more!