Words at Play : Surprising Words from the 1920's
Definition:
: a highly admired or exceptionally excellent person or thing
About the Word:
In addition to being a decade of flappers (a word which actually began being used in the 1880s) and mah jongg (a trademarked name that was first used in the 1920s), the 1920s were full of playful expressions, many of which have survived to this day. The bee's knees (1921) and the cat's meow (1926) both first saw use in this decade, as did the cat's pajamas (1922).
Example:
"As for Mr. Kirby, his appeal mystifies me, but I once knew a maiden aunt who thought he was the cat's meow." The Rockford Register-Republic, 12 September 1966
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