General
the bee's knees
What does the bee's knees mean?
Said sarcastically when something falls well short of the hype, mocking a thing that thinks it's better than it is.
"Oh sure, his rusty jalopy is just the bee's knees."
Origin
Coined in 1920s American youth slang as part of a craze for nonsense animal-anatomy phrases (alongside 'the cat's pajamas' and 'the snake's hips'). It rode the flapper and jazz-age vocabulary that spread through speakeasies and college campuses.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'the bee's knees' mean in slang?
It means the very best, the height of excellence. In the 1920s it was top-shelf praise for a person, place, or thing.
Where did 'the bee's knees' come from?
It emerged in 1920s American slang during a fad for silly animal-body-part phrases. There's no real bee anatomy behind it; the absurdity was the point.
Is 'the bee's knees' still used today?
Yes, mostly with a vintage or playful flavor. People reach for it when they want that retro, jazz-age charm.
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