Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

the cat's pyjamas

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.81 in modern English

Syllables
the -cat's py-ja-mas
IPA
33
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
4
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.

British usage; Dated

Example Sentences

Etymology

Popular in the US as early as 1922 around which the bee's knees, cat's whiskers, and numerous other similar phrases gained prominence. Sometimes attributed to cartoonist Tad Dorgan. It is widely believed that the origin of this idiom predates considerably, tracing back to the early 1800s in England. During this period, a tailor named E.B. Katz crafted silk pajamas for members of royalty and the upper class.

Usage

Inflected Forms

the cat's pajamas (alternative, US) the cat's pajamies (alternative, US)

Synonyms

the bee's knees cat's meow kitty's titties dog's bollocks all that and a bag of chips spider's ankles ant's pants

Questions

What does the cat's pyjamas mean?
A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.
Where does the cat's pyjamas come from?
Popular in the US as early as 1922 around which the bee's knees, cat's whiskers, and numerous other similar phrases gained prominence. Sometimes attributed to cartoonist Tad Dorgan. It is widely believed that the origin of this idiom predates considerably, tracing back to the early 1800s in England. During this period, a tailor named E.B. Katz crafted silk pajamas for members of royalty and the upper class.

How to pronounce the cat's pyjamas

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