yakety-yak

Sometimes yak·i·ty-yak
Or yack·e·ty-yak,

[yak-i-tee-yak]

verb (used without object)

yakety-yakked, yakety-yakking 

1. Slang.,  yak.

Word History and Origins

Origin of yakety-yak¹

First recorded in 1945–50; apparently imitative

Example Sentences

Then off they went holding hands like a pair of teenagers, yakety-yak, talking to each other in something Congolese.

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And, while school authorities are at it, the civics lessons can note why the First Amendment about the right to yakety-yak precedes the Fifth about the right to shut up and walk away.

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The election yakety-yak will eventually turn to issues.

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I’m telling you, we can yakety-yak until next Tuesday here.

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Now it’s your chance to yakety-yak: Is the form a valid theatrical endeavor?

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Related Words

• chat 
• communicate 
• convey 
• declare 
• deliver 
• express 
• go 
• say 
• shout 
• tell 
• utter 
• voice 
• whisper 

When To Use

What does yakety-yak mean?

Yakety-yak is a slang term for aimless, pointless talk, especially when it goes on and on.The related slang term yak is most commonly used as a verb that means to talk, especially aimlessly, without stopping, and about unimportant things. Yak is also spelled yack and yakety-yak can also be spelled yackety-yak, yackety-yack, or yakity-yak. Yack (or yak) is also sometimes used as a noun to mean the same thing as yakety-yak, as is the word yakking (or yacking), as in Quit your yakking!Yakety-yak is the kind of trivial conversation that results from people yakking. Both terms are typically used at least somewhat negatively to criticize talking in such a way and imply that it is annoying or excessive.Example: Would you two stop your yakety-yak and come help us?