cat's pajamas
The bee's knees
Cat's pajamas is a dated American slang expression meaning something or someone outstanding or excellent: She thinks she's the cat's pajamas.
The phrase emerged in the 1920s alongside similar nonsense expressions like the bee's knees and the cat's meow.
It now sounds deliberately old-fashioned or playful when used.
- bee's kneesFlapper-era term for excellence
- cat's meowSlang for outstanding
- niftyCleverly effective
- top-notchOf superior quality
- first-rateOf superior quality
top drawer · spiffy · swell · hotsy-totsy · cream of the crop · crackerjack · gold standard · ace · peachy · berries · sliced bread · cat's whiskers · ritzy · crème de la crème · dandy · the whole nine yards · chic · best in show
- ProhibitionProhibition, speakeasies, bootlegger, bootleggers, speakeasy
cat's pajamaspiece of junk
Worthless or broken thing
piece of garbage · the pits · dud · loser · dreck
cat's pajamasnothing special
Lacking distinction or note
dime a dozen · run of the mill · garden variety · ordinary · mediocre