the cat's pyjamas
A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“This new phone is the cat's pyjamas.”
“Your new leather jacket is the cat's pyjamas.”
“Everyone at the party was talking about her vintage car — it really was the cat's pyjamas.”
“If you want a reliable laptop for editing videos, this high-end model is the cat's pyjamas because it never slows down.”
“The hotel suite was the cat's pyjamas, featuring a private balcony that overlooked the entire city skyline and the ocean.”
“Among collectors, the 1920s gramophone with its original horn and mahogany case is considered the cat's pyjamas, fetching prices that would astonish ordinary listeners.”
first recorded 20th c.
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.
- 01
bell the cat
To undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group.
- 02
cat and dog life
An unhappy married life marked by arguments and disagreements.
- 03
cat got someone's tongue
Why is someone not saying anything?
- 04
cat in the meal-tub
Something concealed; a hidden danger.
- 05
cat piss
Any beverage of low quality.
- 06
cat that ate the canary
A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.
- 07
cat's cradle
Any complicated structure that appears to be without purpose.
- 08
cat's meow
A self-satisfied person.
Last updated August 10, 2026