What does ‘when pigs fly’ mean?
To “when pigs fly” means to never; something that will not happen. The 'flying pig' image as impossibility is proverbial in English; Brewer's does not fix a single origin.
Origin
- The 'flying pig' image as impossibility is proverbial in English; Brewer's does not fix a single origin.
How to use it
- A sarcastic dismissal.
- Example: He'll apologize when pigs fly.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.