y

yacht < yeaghe < norwegian jaght / dutch jaght < middle low german jacht, a shortening of jachtschip (= fast pirate ship) < jacht (= chase) (< jagen (= to chase, hunt) < old high german jagon < proto-germanic *yago-) + schip (= ship) (< proto-germanic *skipa-).

yahoo (= a brute in human form) < a race of brutish human creatures in Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels” [on internet from 1994].

Yahweh < hebrew Yahwah / Yahweh (= God) < hawah (= the one who is, the existing) < hayah (= he was) [as transliteration of hebrew Tetragrammaton YHWH (the full name being too sacred for utterance), taken as the principal and personal name of God].

yak < tibetan g-yag (= male yak).

yak (= laugh) < yuck (= talk idly) < yack.

yakuza < japanese yakuza < ya - ku - sa (= eight - nine - three), the losing hand in a traditional baccarat.

yam < igname < portuguese inhame / spanish igname < african origin.

yammer < middle english yammer (= to lament) < middle dutch jammeren.

Yankee < (?) 1. dutch Janke (= Little John), a diminutive of Jan [1683, a nickname for English colonists by Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (later New York) in neighboring Connecticut] or 2. Jan Kes (= John Cornelius) or 3. Jan Kees < Jan Kaas (= John Cheese) [a nickname for Dutchmen by Flemings].

yap < an acronym of Young Aspiring Professional [1984].

yard (= courtyard) < old english geard (= fenced enclosure, garden, court) < proto-germanic *gardan- {> old norse garðr, dutch gaard, old high german garto, german Garten} < (?) I.E. *ghor-to- < *gher-₍₁₎ (= to grasp, enclose).

yard (= measure of length) < old english g(i)erd (= rod, stick, measure of length) < west germanic *gazdijo < proto-germanic *gazdjo (= stick, rod) {> old norse gaddr, dutch gard, german gerte} < I.E. *ghazdh-o- (= rod, pole).

yare < old english gearo (= ready, prepared) < gearwian (= to equip, prepare) < proto-germanic *garwjan (= make, prepare, equip).

yarn < old english gearn (= spun fiber, spun wool) < proto-germanic *garnan < I.E. *ghere- (= intestine, gut).

yarrow < old english gearwe (= yarrow) < proto-germanic *garwo.

yaw < (?) old norse jaga / old danish jæge (= to drive, chase) < middle low german jagen (= to chase, hunt) < old high german jagon < proto-germanic *yago-.

yawl < middle low german jolle / dutch jol (= a Jutland boat).

yawn < middle english yenen / yonen < old english ginian / gionian (= yawn, gape) < proto-germanic *gin-.

yay (= this) < (?) yea (= yes).

ye (= you) < old english ge, plural of þu (= thou, you) < proto-germanic *juz- / *iwwiz {> old norse yor, dutch u, old high german iu, german euch} < I.E. *yu (= you) [plural].

yea < old english gea / ge (= so, yes) < proto-germanic *ja- / *jai- < I.E. *yam- < *i-.

yeah < american english yeah < yes < old english gese / gise (= so be it!) < (?) ge / gea (= so) + si (= be it!) < proto-germanic *sijai- < I.E. *si- < *es- (= to be).

yean < old english eanian (= bring forth) < proto-germanic *aunon < I.E. *agwh-no- (= lamb).

year < old english gear / ger (= year) < proto-germanic *jēr (= year) {> old norse ar, danish aar, dutch jaar, german Jahr} < I.E. *yer-o- < *yer- (= year, season).

yearn < old english geornan / giernan / giorna (= to strive, desire, seek for) < proto-germanic *gernjan.

yeast < old english gist (= yeast, froth) < proto-germanic *jest- < I.E. *yes- (= to boil, foam).

yell < old english g(i)ellan (= to yell, sound, shout) < proto-germanic *gel- < I.E. *ghel-₍₁₎ (= to call, cry out).

yellow < old english geol(w)e (= yellow) < proto-germanic *gelwaz {> old norse gulr, swedish gul, dutch geel, german gelb} < I.E. *ghel-₍₂₎ (= to shine).

yelp < old english g(i)elpan (= boast, exult) < proto-germanic *gel- < I.E. *ghel-₍₁₎ (= to call, cry out).

Yemen < arabic Yemen (= the country of the south) < yaman (= right side [if facing at east]).

yen < japanese yen < chinese yuan (= round, round object, circle).

yeoman < middle english yeoamn (= attendant in a noble household) < (?) 1. old english iunge man (= young man) or 2. old english *geaman (= villager) < old english -gea (= district, region, village) < proto-germanic *gaujan.

yep < american english yep < yes / yeah [(?) by influence of nope].

yes < old english gese / gise (= so be it!) < (?) ge / gea (= so) + si (= be it!) < proto-germanic *sijai- < I.E. *si- < *es- (= to be).

yet < old english get / gieta (= till now, thus far, at last, also).

yeti < tibetan yeh-teh (= small manlike animal).

yew < old english iw / eow (= yew) < proto-germanic *iwo- < I.E. *ei-wo- < (?) *ei-₍₂₎ (= reddish, yellow).

yiddish < yiddish yidish < middle high german jüdisch (= Jewish [Deutsch] (= Jewish [German]) < jude (= Jew) < old high german judo < latin Judaeus < ancient greek Ιουδαίος | Ioudhaeos < aramaic jehudhai (= a Jew) < Y’hudah (= Judah).

yield < old english g(i)eldan (= pay for, reward, render, serve) < proto-germanic *geldan (= pay) < I.E. *gheldh- (= to pay).

yikes < (?) yoicks [a call in fox-hunting].

yin-yang < chinese (Mandarin) yin (= female, night, lunar, shade, moon) + yang (= male, daylight, solar, sun).

yippee < (?) hip.

yippie < an acronym of Youth International Party [modeled (1968) on hippie (q.v.)].

Y.M.C.A. < an acronym of Young Men's Christian Association [1868].

yo-yo < american-english yo-yo, a toy [1915] < philippinean origin.

yob < british-english yob < boy [back-slang].

yodel < german jodeln < jo [an exclamation of joy].

yoga < hindi yoga < sanskrit yoga-s (= union, yoking) [with the Supreme Spirit] < I.E. *yeug- (= to join).

yog(h)urt < turkish yogurt.

yoke < old english geoc < geoht (= pair of draft animals) < proto-germanic *yukam {> old norse ok, danish aag, dutch juk, german joch} < I.E. *yeug- (= to join).

Yom Kippur < hebrew yom kippur (= day of atonement) < yom (= day) + kippur (= atonement, expiation).

yore < old english geara (= of years, formerly), genitive plural of gear (= year) < proto-germanic *jēr (= year) {> old norse ar, danish aar, dutch jaar, german Jahr} < I.E. *yer-o- < *yer- (= year, season).

York < old english Eoforwic < Eborakon, related to Ebores, a tribe < celtic source.

you < old english eow, dative and accusative plural of þu (= thou), objective case of ge (= ye) < proto-germanic *juz- / *iwwiz {> old norse yor, dutch u, old high german iu, german euch} < I.E. *yu (= you) [plural].

young < old english geong (= youthful, young, recent) < proto-germanic *junga- {> old norse ungr, dutch jong, german jung} < I.E. *yuwn-ko- < *yeu- (= vital force) {> sanskrit yuvan-, avestan yuuanem, latin juvenis / junior, welsh ieuanc, lithuanian jaunas, old church slavonic junu, russian junyj}.

younker (= young nobleman) < middle dutch jonckher < jonc (= young) + here (= lord, master).

your < old english eower, genitive of ge (= ye) < proto-germanic *juz- / *iwwiz {> old norse yor, dutch u, old high german iu, german euch} < I.E. *yu (= you) [plural].

youth < old english geoguð (= youth, young people, young of cattle) < proto-germanic *jugunthi- {> dutch jeugd, gothic junda, old high german jugund, german Jugend} < I.E. *yeu- (= vital force) + proto-germanic [suffix] *-itho.

yowl < middle english yuhelen < (?) imitative origin.

yuan < chinese yuan (= round, round object, circle).

yucca < spanish juca / yuca (= cassava plant) < (?) taino (of Haiti) origin.

yuck < (?) echoic origin.

Yugoslav < serbo-croatian jugo- (= south) (< jug (= south, south wind) < old church slavonic jugu (= south, south wind, noon)) + Slav (< old church slavonic Sloveninu (= a Slav)).

yule < old english geol(a) (= Christmas Day) [cognate with old norse jol [plural], a heathen feast].

yummy < yum [exclamation of pleasure].

yumpie < an acronym of Young Upward-Mobile Professional [modeled (1984) on hippie (q.v.)].

yuppie < an acronym of Young Urban Professional [modeled (1982) on hippie (q.v.)].

yurt < russian yurta < turkic origin.

Y.W.C.A. < an acronym of Young Women's Christian Association [1874].