phrase General Slang

The Bee's Knees

/ðə ˈbiːz ˌniːz/ · phrase · slang

Roaring Twenties praise for the absolute best thing or person around.

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Definitions

1

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.”
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2

An expression of the highest praise: something or someone that is excellent, top-notch, or the peak of style.

“That new jazz band down at the club is the bee's knees.”
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3

Used to describe a person who is admirable, attractive, or impressively cool.

“In her beaded dress she was the bee's knees, and every fella knew it.”
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The Bee's Knees In A Sentence

She thinks that speakeasy is the bee's knees, but I've seen better.
Kid, your footwork on the Charleston is the bee's knees.
A cold glass of giggle water on a hot night? The bee's knees.

Origin & Usage

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.

Variants bees kneesthe bees' knees
Tags #1920s#flapper#jazz-age#prohibition#vintage#compliment

People Also Ask

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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