Yankee

American  

[yang-kee] / ˈjæŋ ki /

noun

Yankees plural

1. a native or inhabitant of the United States.

2. a native or inhabitant of New England.

3. a native or inhabitant of a northern U.S. state, especially of one of the northeastern states that sided with the Union in the American Civil War.

4. a federal or northern soldier in the American Civil War.

5. a word used in communications to represent the letter Y.

6. Military. the NATO name for a class of streamlined, nuclear-powered Soviet submarines, with 16 multiple-warhead ballistic missiles: first produced for the Soviet Navy in the 1960s; in service with the Russian Navy 1992–95.

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a Yankee or Yankees.

   Yankee ingenuity.

Yankee British  

/ ˈjæŋkɪ /

noun

1. derogatory a native or inhabitant of the US; American

2. a native or inhabitant of New England

3. a native or inhabitant of the Northern US, esp a Northern soldier in the Civil War

4. communications a code word for the letter y

5. finance a bond issued in the US by a foreign borrower

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Yankees

Yankee Cultural  

1. Originally a nickname for people from New England, now applied to anyone from the United States. Even before the American Revolutionary War, the term Yankee was used by the British to refer, derisively, to the American colonists. Since the Civil War, American southerners have called all northerners Yankees. Since World War I, the rest of the world has used the term to refer to all Americans.

---

Discover More

The expression “Yankee, go home” reflects foreign resentment of American presence or involvement in other nations' affairs.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Yankees
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Yankee

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90 of uncertain origin; perhaps back formation from Dutch Jan Kees “John Cheese,” nickname (mistaken for plural) applied by the Dutch of colonial New York to English settlers in Connecticut

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Yankee Yankees

"It is the opposite of the Yankee Greater New England philosophy."

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

Courtesy of Yankee Magazine’s Amy Traverso, this simplified rendition of old-fashioned chicken and dumplings starts with store-bought chicken stock, a rotisserie chicken and drop dumplings.

From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026

But two decades in Germany, where he learned the language so completely that he sometimes catches himself thinking German, helped mitigate any Yankee Doodle stereotypes by the time he moved to La Liga.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026

The winner of eight Latin Grammy Awards made her Coachella debut in 2022 with a performance that paid tribute to Latin music icons such as Selena, Celia Cruz, and Daddy Yankee.

From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026

“Let’s see if I understand you correctly, John,” Mom imitated Mr. Bundini’s Yankee accent.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Apple TV+ has the exclusive Major League Baseball deal on Fridays, often featuring the Yankees.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

With all due respect to the acrimony of Yankees vs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

The MLB collection will debut at Fanatics Fest in New York from July 16 to 19 and in the Yankees team store July 16.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

He led the Dodgers to the National League pennant in his first two full seasons, losing both times to the Yankees in the World Series.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

That by itself should of made Pa think twice, feelin’ like he does about Yankees.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns