Bee's Knees

Etymology

Slang coined in the 1920s. Stories in circulation about the phrase’s origin include: “b’s and e’s”, short for “be-alls and end-alls”; and a corruption of “business”.

A modern misinterpretation of the B’s and E’s and as such has become a piece of slang in its own right.

B’s and E’s pronounced with many colloquial English accents, would be combined as a single Bees-an-ees. The actual saying, “the be all and end all” is still in use in the UK and Australia. The very latest and best, something that cannot be improved upon.