A bee in your bonnet
/ə biː ɪn jɔː ˈbɒnɪt/informal, humorousUK
What does “A bee in your bonnet” mean?
A bee in your bonnet means a fixed idea that someone keeps returning to, often to the annoyance of others.
Someone with a bee in their bonnet is preoccupied with a single issue and keeps raising it. The tone is teasing rather than hostile.
It is distinctly British and rarely used in formal writing.
When do people say it?
Used lightly and critically about someone who will not drop a subject.
“He's had a bee in his bonnet about the parking rules since March.”
Is it formal or informal?
Register: informal, humorous. It is most at home in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Most common in UK.
Where does it come from?
Older British expression built on the image of a bee trapped under a hat; earlier forms speak of bees in the head.
Origin confidence: Reasonably documented
How do you say “A bee in your bonnet” in other languages?
Related idioms
- Barking up the wrong tree, To be completely mistaken.
Last reviewed 2026-09-11