pyjama

cat's pajamas

Something or someone highly enjoyable, desirable, or impressive, especially in a fancy or elaborate way. Primarily heard in US. Tom's new Cadillac is really the cat's pajamas! Boy, that singer last night was the cat's pajamas, wasn't she? Have you ever tried the pistachio gelato at this place? It's the cat's pajamas!

See also: pajama

the cat's whiskers

Something or someone that is highly enjoyable, desirable, or impressive, especially in a fancy or elaborate way. Tom's new Cadillac is really the cat's whiskers! Boy, that singer last night was the cat's whiskers, wasn't she?

See also: whisker

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

the cat's whiskers

or

the cat's pyjamas

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONED

If you describe someone or something as the cat's whiskers or the cat's pyjamas, you mean they are the best person or thing of their kind. She had this great dress on with huge skirts, and she thought she was the cat's whiskers as she walked into the room. We critics variously declared the show brilliant, the cat's pyjamas, breathtaking, and unmissable. Note: These expressions were originally American and became popular in Britain during the 1920s. `Cat's whisker' was also the name of a fine wire in a crystal wireless receiver.

See also: whisker

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

the cat's whiskers

an excellent person or thing. informal

Other similar phrases include the cat's pyjamas and the chiefly North American the cat's miaou .

See also: whisker

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

the cat’s ˈwhiskers/pyˈjamas

(informal, often ironic) the best person, idea, thing, etc: She thinks she’s the cat’s whiskers.

See also: pyjama, whisker

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017