CINXE.COM
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8" content="text/html;charset=utf-8;"> <title data-react-helmet="true" name="twitter:title">y | Search Online Etymology Dictionary</title> <meta data-react-helmet="true" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="theme-color" content="#83001d"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="description" property="og:description" content="The online etymology dictionary (etymonline) is the internet's go-to source for quick and reliable accounts of the origin and history of English words, phrases, and idioms. It is professional enough to satisfy academic standards, but accessible enough to be used by anyone."/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#83001d"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="msapplication-TileImage" content="/ms-icon-144x144.png"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" property="og:image" name="twitter:image" content="https://www.etymonline.com/graphics/header.jpg"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/><meta data-react-helmet="true" name="robots" content="noindex, follow"/> <link data-react-helmet="true" rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="https://www.etymonline.com/opensearch.xml" title="Etymonline Search"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="chrome-webstore-item" href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/giehjnnlopapngdjbjjgddpaagoimmgl"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="57x57" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-57x57.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="60x60" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-60x60.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="72x72" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-72x72.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="76x76" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-76x76.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="114x114" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-114x114.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="120x120" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-120x120.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="144x144" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-144x144.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-152x152.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/apple-icon-180x180.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/android-icon-192x192.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/favicon-32x32.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="96x96" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/favicon-96x96.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/favicon/favicon-16x16.png"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json"/><link data-react-helmet="true" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/fontawesome/css/font-awesome.min.css"/><link data-react-helmet="true" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/style.1ca52a5f895b4c08a29e26a206c2dacb.css"/><link data-react-helmet="true" rel="canonical" href="https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=y"/> <script async src="https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js"></script><script>window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};</script> </head> <body> <div id="root"><div data-reactroot=""><div class="container--1mazc"><div class="header header--1Mejf header__vanila--2dqaM header--top header__sticky--1w7Bc"><div class="header__vanila__container--CElq1"><div class="ant-row"><div class="ant-col-sm-17"><div class="inner--7ZeMs" data-role="header-inner"><div class="header__logo--12Lje" data-role="header-logo"><a href="/" title="Etymology"><img class="header__logo__image--2avl2" src="https://cdn.etymonline.com/web/logo.png" alt="Etymology"/></a></div><div class="header__searchbar--3yKr5" data-role="header-searchbar"><div class="searchform"><form class="searchbar--3dK8Z searchbar" action="/search"><div role="combobox" aria-haspopup="listbox" aria-owns="react-autowhatever-1" aria-expanded="false" class="searchbar__container--2VZd7"><input type="text" value="y" autoComplete="off" aria-autocomplete="list" aria-controls="react-autowhatever-1" class="searchbar__input--3L4IY" id="search-bar-text-input" placeholder="Search" name="q" required="" autoCapitalize="off" autoCorrect="off" title="Type a word to search."/><div id="react-autowhatever-1" role="listbox"></div></div><div class="search-clear"><i class="fa fa-times-circle"></i></div><input type="submit" title="Search" value="" class="searchbar__button--3luO1"/></form></div></div></div></div><div class="ant-col-sm-6 ant-col-sm-offset-1"><div class="userInfo--3pEnp"><a class="userInfo_login--1peTS" href="/web/login?redirect_uri=%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dy" rel="nofollow">Log in</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="main main--10rAd" data-role="content-main"><div class="ant-row-flex ant-row-flex-space-around"><div class="ant-col-xs-24 ant-col-sm-24 ant-col-md-24 ant-col-lg-17"><div data-ad-container="true" class="adContainer--6CVz1 horizontal"><span class="adLabel--35hfi">Advertisement</span><div id="div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-top" style="min-width:728px;min-height:90px"></div></div><div class="searchList__pageCount--2jQdB"><div class="searchFilter--1aRK4"><a href="/search?q=y"><div class="selectorItem--S2kay selected--3Nv2s">all</div></a><a href="/search?q=y&type=0"><div class="selectorItem--S2kay">word</div></a><a href="/search?q=y&type=1"><div class="selectorItem--S2kay">name</div></a><a href="/search?q=y&type=2"><div class="selectorItem--S2kay">phrase</div></a><a href="/search?q=y&type=3"><div class="selectorItem--S2kay">suffix</div></a><a href="/search?q=y&type=4"><div class="selectorItem--S2kay">prefix</div></a><a href="/search?q=y&type=5"><div class="selectorItem--S2kay">word root</div></a><div class="underline--2GdPQ"></div></div>176 entries found.</div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of Y" href="/word/Y#etymonline_v_4916">Y<!-- -->聽<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>a late-developing letter in English. Called <span class="foreign notranslate">ipsilon</span> in German, <span class="foreign notranslate">upsilon</span> in Greek, the English name is of obscure origin.</p> <p>The sound at the beginning of <a href="/word/yard" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of yard " class="crossreference notranslate">yard</a>, <a href="/word/yes" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of yes " class="crossreference notranslate">yes</a>, <a href="/word/yield" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of yield " class="crossreference notranslate">yield</a>, etc. is from Old English words with initial <span class="foreign notranslate">g-</span> as in <span class="foreign notranslate">got</span> and <span class="foreign notranslate">y-</span> as in <span class="foreign notranslate">yet</span>, which were considered the same sound and often transcribed as <span class="foreign notranslate">葴</span>, known as <span class="foreign notranslate">yogh</span>. The system was altered by French scribes, who brought over the continental use of <span class="foreign notranslate">-g-</span> and from the early 1200s used <span class="foreign notranslate">-y-</span> and sometimes <span class="foreign notranslate">-gh-</span> to replace 葴.</p> <p>The French also tended to substitute <span class="foreign notranslate">-y-</span> for <span class="foreign notranslate">-i-</span>, especially before <span class="foreign notranslate">-u-</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">-n-</span>, or <span class="foreign notranslate">-m-</span>, or at the end of words, to avoid confusion in reading (see <a href="/word/U" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of U " class="crossreference notranslate">U</a>), which might also partly explain this tendency in Middle English. As short for <span class="foreign notranslate">YMCA</span>, etc., by 1915.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/Y#etymonline_v_4916"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div data-ad-container="true" class="adContainer--6CVz1 vertical" style="margin-top:1em"><span class="adLabel--35hfi">Advertisement</span><div id="div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-infeed-1" style="min-width:728px;min-height:90px"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of y-" href="/word/y-#etymonline_v_25628">y-<!-- -->聽<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>perfective prefix, in <a href="/word/yclept" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of yclept " class="crossreference notranslate">yclept</a>, etc.; a deliberate archaism, introduced by Spenser and his imitators, representing an authentic Middle English prefix <span class="foreign notranslate">y-</span>, earlier <span class="foreign notranslate">i-</span>, from Old English <span class="foreign notranslate">ge-</span>, originally meaning "with, together" but later a completive or perfective element, from Proto-Germanic <span class="foreign notranslate">*ga-</span> "together, with" (also a collective and intensive prefix), from PIE <span class="foreign notranslate">*kom</span> "beside, near, by, with" (cognate with Sanskrit <span class="foreign notranslate">ja-</span>, Latin <span class="foreign notranslate">com-</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">cum-</span>; see <a href="/word/com-" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of com- " class="crossreference notranslate">com-</a>). It is still living in German and Dutch <span class="foreign notranslate">ge-</span>, and survives, disguised, in some English words (such as <a href="/word/alike" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of alike " class="crossreference notranslate">alike</a>, <a href="/word/aware" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of aware " class="crossreference notranslate">aware</a>, <a href="/word/handiwork" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of handiwork " class="crossreference notranslate">handiwork</a>).</p> <p>Among hundreds of Middle English words it formed are <span class="foreign notranslate">yfallen</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">yhacked</span> ("completely hacked," probably now again useful), <span class="foreign notranslate">yknow</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">ymarried</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">ywrought</span>.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/y-#etymonline_v_25628"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of -y" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_25630">-y<!-- -->聽<!-- -->(1)<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>noun suffix, in <a href="/word/army" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of army " class="crossreference notranslate">army</a>, <a href="/word/city" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of city " class="crossreference notranslate">city</a>, <a href="/word/country" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of country " class="crossreference notranslate">country</a>, etc., from Old French <span class="foreign notranslate">-e</span>, Latin <span class="foreign notranslate">-atus</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">-atum</span>, past participle suffix of certain verbs, which in French came to be used to indicate "employment, office, dignity" (as in <span class="foreign notranslate">duch茅</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">clergi茅</span>).</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_25630"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of -y" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_50218">-y<!-- -->聽<!-- -->(4)<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>suffix indicating state, condition, or quality; also activity or the result of it (as in <a href="/word/victory" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of victory " class="crossreference notranslate">victory</a>, <a href="/word/history" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of history " class="crossreference notranslate">history</a>, etc.), via Anglo-French and Old French -<span class="foreign notranslate">茅</span>, from Latin <span class="foreign notranslate">-ia</span>, Greek <span class="foreign notranslate">-ia</span>, from PIE <span class="foreign notranslate">*-a-</span>, suffix forming abstract or collective nouns. It is etymologically identical with <a href="/word/-ia" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of -ia " class="crossreference notranslate">-ia</a> and the second element in <a href="/word/-cy" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of -cy " class="crossreference notranslate">-cy</a>, <a href="/word/-ery" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of -ery " class="crossreference notranslate">-ery</a>, <a href="/word/-logy" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of -logy " class="crossreference notranslate">-logy</a>, etc.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_50218"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of -y" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_25629">-y<!-- -->聽<!-- -->(3)<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>suffix in pet proper names (such as <a href="/word/Johnny" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of Johnny " class="crossreference notranslate">Johnny</a>, <a href="/word/kitty" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of Kitty " class="crossreference notranslate">Kitty</a>), first recorded in Scottish c. 1400; according to OED it became frequent in English 15c.-16c. Extension to surnames seems to date from c. 1940. Use with common nouns seems to have begun in Scottish with <span class="foreign notranslate">laddie</span> (1546) and become popular in English due to Burns' poems, but the same formation appears to be represented much earlier in <a href="/word/baby" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of baby " class="crossreference notranslate">baby</a> and <a href="/word/puppy" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of puppy " class="crossreference notranslate">puppy</a>.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_25629"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div data-ad-container="true" class="adContainer--6CVz1 vertical" style="margin-top:1em"><span class="adLabel--35hfi">Advertisement</span><ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7093273770345366" style="display:block;width:100%" data-ad-slot="5022190299" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of -y" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_25631">-y<!-- -->聽<!-- -->(2)<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>adjective suffix, "full of or characterized by," from Old English <span class="foreign notranslate">-ig</span>, from Proto-Germanic <span class="foreign notranslate">*-iga-</span> (source also of Dutch, Danish, German <span class="foreign notranslate">-ig</span>, Gothic <span class="foreign notranslate">-egs</span>), from PIE <span class="foreign notranslate">-(i)ko-</span>, adjectival suffix, cognate with elements in Greek <span class="foreign notranslate">-ikos</span>, Latin <span class="foreign notranslate">-icus</span> (see <a href="/word/-ic" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of -ic " class="crossreference notranslate">-ic</a>).</p> <p>Originally added to nouns in Old English; it was used from 13c. with verbs, and by 15c. with other adjectives (for example <a href="/word/crispy" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of crispy " class="crossreference notranslate">crispy</a>).</p> <p>Variant forms in <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">-y</span></strong> for short, common adjectives (<span class="foreign notranslate">vasty</span>, <span class="foreign notranslate">hugy</span>) helped poets keep step with classical feet when the grammatically empty but metrically useful <span class="foreign notranslate">-e</span> dropped off such words in late Middle English. To replace it, by Elizabethan times, verse-writers had adapted to <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">-y</span></strong> forms, and often it was done artfully, as in聽Sackville's "The wide waste places, and the hugy plain." Simple <span class="foreign notranslate">huge plain</span> would have been a metrical balk.</p> <p>After Coleridge's criticism of the <span class="foreign notranslate">-y</span> forms as archaic artifice, poets gave up <a href="/word/stilly" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of stilly " class="crossreference notranslate">stilly</a> (Moore probably was last to get away with it, with "Oft in the Stilly Night"), <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">paly</span></strong> (which Keats and Coleridge himself had used) and the rest. Jespersen ("Modern English Grammar," 1954) also lists <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">bleaky</span></strong> (Dryden), <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">bluey</span></strong>, <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">greeny</span></strong>, and other color words, <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">lanky</span></strong>, <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">plumpy</span></strong>, <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">stouty</span></strong>, and the slang <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">rummy</span></strong>. <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">Vasty</span></strong> survived, he said, only in imitation of Shakespeare; <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">cooly</span></strong> and <strong><span class="foreign notranslate">moisty</span></strong> (Chaucer, hence Spenser) he regarded as fully obsolete. But in a few cases he notes (<a href="/word/haughty" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of haughty " class="crossreference notranslate">haughty</a>, <a href="/word/dusky" title="Etymology, meaning and definition of dusky " class="crossreference notranslate">dusky</a>) they seem to have supplanted the shorter forms.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/-y#etymonline_v_25631"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of yacht" href="/word/yacht#etymonline_v_4917">yacht<!-- -->聽<!-- -->(n.)<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>1550s, <span class="foreign notranslate">yeaghe</span> "a light, fast-sailing ship," from Norwegian <span class="foreign notranslate">jaght</span> or early Dutch <span class="foreign notranslate">jaght</span>, both from Middle Low German <span class="foreign notranslate">jacht</span>, shortened form of <span class="foreign notranslate">jachtschip</span> "fast pirate ship," literally "ship for chasing," from <span class="foreign notranslate">jacht</span> "chase," from <span class="foreign notranslate">jagen</span> "to chase, hunt," from Old High German <span class="foreign notranslate">jagon</span>, from Proto-Germanic <span class="foreign notranslate">*yago-</span>, from PIE root <span class="foreign notranslate">*yek-</span> (2) "to hunt" (source also of Hittite <span class="foreign notranslate">ekt-</span> "hunting net"). Related: <span class="foreign notranslate">Yachting</span>; <span class="foreign notranslate">yachtsman</span>.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/yacht#etymonline_v_4917"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of yack" href="/word/yack#etymonline_v_4918">yack<!-- -->聽<!-- -->(v.)<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>also <span class="foreign notranslate">yak</span>, "to talk, to chatter," 1950, slang, probably short for <span class="foreign notranslate">yackety-yacking</span> "talk" (1947), probably echoic (compare Australian slang <span class="foreign notranslate">yacker</span> "talk, conversation," 1882). Related: <span class="foreign notranslate">Yacked</span>; <span class="foreign notranslate">yacking</span>.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/yack#etymonline_v_4918"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of yadda-yadda" href="/word/yadda-yadda#etymonline_v_4919">yadda-yadda<!-- -->聽<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>"and so on," 1990s, of echoic origin (compare <span class="foreign notranslate">yatata</span> "talk idly, chatter," 1940s; and <span class="foreign notranslate">yatter</span> "to talk incessantly or idly," 1825).</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/yadda-yadda#etymonline_v_4919"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8"><div><a class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of yah" href="/word/yah#etymonline_v_40273">yah<!-- -->聽<!-- -->(interj.)<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></a><div class="word__etymology_expand--1s7tE"><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined"><div></div><p>exclamation of defiance or dismissal, from 1812. Extended form <span class="foreign notranslate">yah-boo</span> by 1910.</p></section></div></div><a data-more="true" class="word_4pc__footer--2yfj3" href="/word/yah#etymonline_v_40273"><span>Related entries & more</span>聽<i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="opacity:0"></i></a><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="pagination_simple--1ilDd"><a style="visibility:hidden" title="prev" class="pagination_simple_prev--1rWzQ" role="button" href="/search?page=0&q=y&type="><i class="fa fa-2x fa-angle-left" aria-hidden="true"></i></a><a title="next" role="button" href="/search?page=2&q=y&type=">Next</a><a style="visibility:visible" title="next" class="pagination_simple_next--3KB2t" role="button" href="/search?page=2&q=y&type="><i class="fa fa-2x fa-angle-right" aria-hidden="true"></i></a></div><ul class="ant-pagination pagination--1DEpf" unselectable="unselectable"><li title="Previous Page" tabindex="0" class="ant-pagination-disabled ant-pagination-prev" aria-disabled="true"><a role="button" href="/search?page=0&q=y&type=">Prev</a></li><li title="1" class="ant-pagination-item ant-pagination-item-1 ant-pagination-item-active" tabindex="0"><a role="button" href="/search?page=1&q=y&type=">1</a></li><li title="2" class="ant-pagination-item ant-pagination-item-2" tabindex="0"><a role="button" href="/search?page=2&q=y&type=">2</a></li><li title="3" class="ant-pagination-item ant-pagination-item-3" tabindex="0"><a role="button" href="/search?page=3&q=y&type=">3</a></li><li title="4" class="ant-pagination-item ant-pagination-item-4" tabindex="0"><a role="button" href="/search?page=4&q=y&type=">4</a></li><li title="5" class="ant-pagination-item ant-pagination-item-5 ant-pagination-item-before-jump-next" tabindex="0"><a role="button" href="/search?page=5&q=y&type=">5</a></li><li title="Next 5 Pages" tabindex="0" class="ant-pagination-jump-next"><a class="ant-pagination-item-link"></a></li><li title="18" class="ant-pagination-item ant-pagination-item-18" tabindex="0"><a role="button" href="/search?page=18&q=y&type=">18</a></li><li title="Next Page" tabindex="0" class=" ant-pagination-next" aria-disabled="false"><a role="button" href="/search?page=2&q=y&type=">Next</a></li></ul></div><div class="ant-col-xs-24 ant-col-sm-24 ant-col-md-24 ant-col-lg-6"><div data-ad-container="true" class="adContainer--6CVz1 removeAdsContainer--3mV2b horizontal"><a href="/premium?utm_source=remove_ads"><div class="removeAdsBtn--2W3KN">Remove ads ></div></a><span class="adLabel--35hfi">Advertisement</span><div id="div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-right" style="min-width:300px;min-height:250px"></div></div><div class="trending__normal--2eWJF"><h3 class="h3_title">Trending words</h3><ul><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of scalper" href="/word/scalper">1<!-- -->. <!-- -->scalper</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of ego" href="/word/ego">2<!-- -->. <!-- -->ego</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of algebra" href="/word/algebra">3<!-- -->. <!-- -->algebra</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of melancholy" href="/word/melancholy">4<!-- -->. <!-- -->melancholy</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of horse" href="/word/horse">5<!-- -->. <!-- -->horse</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of king" href="/word/king">6<!-- -->. <!-- -->king</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of night" href="/word/night">7<!-- -->. <!-- -->night</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of niche" href="/word/niche">8<!-- -->. <!-- -->niche</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of gospel" href="/word/gospel">9<!-- -->. <!-- -->gospel</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of logic" href="/word/logic">10<!-- -->. <!-- -->logic</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div><div class="alphabet--3sMXd"><ul class="alphabet__inner--2NEtM"><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter A"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=a">A</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter B"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=b">B</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter C"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=c">C</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter D"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=d">D</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter E"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=e">E</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter F"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=f">F</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter G"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=g">G</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter H"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=h">H</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter I"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=i">I</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter J"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=j">J</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter K"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=k">K</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter L"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=l">L</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter M"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=m">M</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter N"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=n">N</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter O"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=o">O</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter P"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=p">P</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter Q"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=q">Q</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter R"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=r">R</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter S"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=s">S</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter T"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=t">T</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter U"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=u">U</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter V"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=v">V</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter W"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=w">W</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter X"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=x">X</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8 alphabet__node_checked--309X2" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter Y"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=y">Y</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter Z"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=z">Z</a></li></ul></div><div class="footer--zLQrv"><div class="footer__info--3VNMU"><div class="footer__info_inner--1aVeV"><div><p class="footer__info_title--3LoBd">LINKS</p><a rel="" href="https://forum.etymonline.com" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Forum</a><a rel="nofollow" href="/columns/post/sources" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Full List of Sources</a><a rel="nofollow" href="/columns/post/links" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Links</a></div><div><p class="footer__info_title--3LoBd">PRODUCTS</p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id813629612?pt=33423801&ct=etymonline_footer&mt=8" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">iOS App</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.etymonline.app&referrer=utm_source%3Detymonline_webfooter" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Android App</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/etymonline/giehjnnlopapngdjbjjgddpaagoimmgl?utm_source=link_footer" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Chrome Extension</a></div><div><p class="footer__info_title--3LoBd">ABOUT</p><a rel="nofollow" href="/columns/post/bio" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Who Did This</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.etymonline.com/columns/post/abbr" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Introduction and Explanation</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/etymonline?utm_source=etymonline_footer&utm_medium=link_exchange" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Follow on Facebook</a></div><div><p class="footer__info_title--3LoBd">SUPPORT</p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=byronic106@yahoo.com&lc=US&item_name=Donation+to +Help+Keep+Etymonline+Free+and+Open&no_note=0&cn=&curency_code=USD&bn=PP-DonationsBF:btn_donateCC_LG.gif:NonHosted" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Donate with PayPal</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/godgifu/shop?artistUserName=godgifu&collections=1692216&utm_source=etymonline_footer" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Ye Olde Swag Shoppe</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.patreon.com/etymonline?utm_source=etymonline.com&utm_campaign=footer_link&utm_medium=website" class="footer__info_node--3T-ZQ">Support on Patreon</a></div></div></div><div class="footer__link--1RSEJ footer__link_padding--1oYre"><div class="footer__link_inner--KP2Wz"><div><a href="mailto:etymonline@protonmail.com" title="Douglas Harper" rel="nofollow">漏 2001-2024<!-- --> <!-- -->Douglas Harper</a><span style="color:#888"> | </span><a href="https://www.etymonline.com/legal/terms" title="Terms of Service" rel="nofollow">Terms of Service</a><span style="color:#888"> | </span><a href="https://www.etymonline.com/legal/privacy" title="Privacy Policy" rel="nofollow">Privacy Policy</a></div></div></div></div><div class="backtop"><div class="backtop-content"><i class="fa fa-arrow-up"></i></div></div></div></div></div> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-YGHSRMYRTV"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-YGHSRMYRTV', { 'custom_map': {'dimension1': 'UserRole'} }); gtag('event', 'user_role_set', {'UserRole': 'guest'}); </script> <script data-react-helmet="true" src="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/jquery-3.2.1.min.js"></script><script data-react-helmet="true" src="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/remove-ads-iconfont.js?t=10"></script><script data-react-helmet="true" src="https://cdn.etymonline.com/projects/etymonline-main-v3/plugins.2ad87a733ad1b7fbd7d2.js" async="true"></script><script data-react-helmet="true" type="text/javascript"> 'use strict';var extensionBait=document.querySelector('.extensionHint'),isChrome=navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Chrome')>-1,bannerExtension=document.querySelector('.bait'),hintClose=document.querySelector('.hint-closer');!extensionBait||!isChrome||bannerExtension||window.localStorage.getItem('etymonline-extension-installed')||window.localStorage.getItem('extension_banner_clicked')||setTimeout(function(){extensionBait.style.marginTop=0},1e3),hintClose&&hintClose.addEventListener('click',function(){extensionBait.style.marginTop='-64px',window.localStorage.setItem('extension_banner_clicked',!0)}),extensionBait&&extensionBait.addEventListener('click',function(){}); </script><script data-react-helmet="true" >"serviceWorker"in navigator&&navigator.serviceWorker.getRegistrations().then(function(e){for(let r of e)r.unregister()});</script><script data-react-helmet="true" > googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/21669543020/pc_sp_top', [[728, 90]], 'div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-top').setTargeting("refresh", 'true').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/21669543020/pc_sp_right', [[300, 250]], 'div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-right').setTargeting("refresh", 'true').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/21669543020/pc_sp_infeed', ['fluid', [728, 90]], 'div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-infeed-1').setTargeting("refresh", 'true').addService(googletag.pubads()); var SECONDS_TO_WAIT_AFTER_VIEWABILITY = 105; // Object to keep track of the number of refreshes per slot var slotRefreshes = {}; googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { var slot = event.slot; // Initialize the count for this slot if it's the first time if (!slotRefreshes[slot.getSlotElementId()]) { slotRefreshes[slot.getSlotElementId()] = 0; } if (slot.getTargeting("refresh").indexOf("true") > -1) { const refreshTime = Math.floor(Math.random() * 15) + SECONDS_TO_WAIT_AFTER_VIEWABILITY; // Only refresh the slot if it has been refreshed less than 3 times if (slotRefreshes[slot.getSlotElementId()] < 3) { setTimeout(function() { console.log("reload", slot.getSlotElementId()); apstag.fetchBids({ slots: [{ slotID: slot.getSlotElementId(), slotName: slot.getAdUnitPath(), sizes: slot.getSizes().map(function(size) { return [size.getWidth(), size.getHeight()]; }) }], timeout: 2e3 }, function(bids) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { apstag.setDisplayBids(); googletag.pubads().refresh([slot]); }); }); // Increment the refresh count for this slot slotRefreshes[slot.getSlotElementId()]++; }, refreshTime * 1000); } } }); googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad(); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); </script><script data-react-helmet="true" >!function(a9,a,p,s,t,A,g){if(a[a9])return;function q(c,r){a[a9]._Q.push([c,r])}a[a9]={init:function(){q("i",arguments)},fetchBids:function(){q("f",arguments)},setDisplayBids:function(){},targetingKeys:function(){return[]},_Q:[]};A=p.createElement(s);A.async=!0;A.src=t;g=p.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];g.parentNode.insertBefore(A,g)}("apstag",window,document,"script","//c.amazon-adsystem.com/aax2/apstag.js"); apstag.init({ pubID: '7013ff7d-a08e-4dca-9729-1643e28c88b5', adServer: 'googletag' }); // Fetch bids from APS apstag.fetchBids({ slots: [{ slotID: 'div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-right', slotName: '/21669543020/pc_sp_right', sizes: [[300, 250]] }, { slotID: 'div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-top', slotName: '/21669543020/pc_sp_top', sizes: [[728, 90]] } ,{ slotID: 'div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-infeed-1', slotName: '/21669543020/pc_sp_infeed', sizes: [[728, 90]] }], timeout: 2e3 }, function(bids) { // Set apstag targeting on googletag, then display the slots googletag.cmd.push(function(){ apstag.setDisplayBids(); googletag.pubads().refresh(); }); googletag.cmd.push(function(){ googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-top'); googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-right'); googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-pc-sp-infeed-1'); }); }); </script><script data-react-helmet="true" type="text/javascript">'use strict';function addADJS(){var b=document.createElement('script');b.src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7093273770345366',b.async=!0,document.body.appendChild(b)}var script=document.createElement('script');document.querySelectorAll('.adsbygoogle').forEach(function(){script.text+='(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});'});addADJS();document.body.appendChild(script);</script><script data-react-helmet="true" type="text/javascript"> $('section').click(function(e) { if(e.target.className === 'crossreference' && e.target.nodeName === 'SPAN') { location.href = window.location.origin + '/word/' + e.target.innerText } }) $('a[data-more]').hover( function() { $(this).find('.fa-chevron-right').animate({ opacity: 1 }, 100); }, function() { $(this).find('.fa-chevron-right').animate({ opacity: 0 }, 100); }) $('.word-relation-see-more').click(function(e) { $(this).css('display', 'none'); $(this).prev().css({'max-height': '100%'}); }) </script><script data-react-helmet="true" > $(window).on('scroll', function() { if($(this).scrollTop() > 300) { $('.backtop').show('fast') } else { $('.backtop').hide('fast') } }) $('.backtop').click(function() { $('body,html').animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 500) }) </script> </body> </html>