yay

[yey]

See more synonyms for yay on Thesaurus.com

interjection Informal.

(an exclamation used to express joy, excitement, etc.)

Origin of yay

First recorded in 1960–65; perhaps alteration of yeah

yay

or yea

[yey]

adverb Informal.

to the extent, amount, etc., indicated: The doll is about yay high.

Origin of yay

probably < yea¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for yay

cheer, yell, encouragement, whoopee, yay, hurray, huzza, rah-rah, yippee

Examples from the Web for yay

Contemporary Examples of yay

Yay Haley for quick thinking and Bronagh for quick status updating!
A Tale of Thanksgiving Triumph
Michael Daly
November 28, 2013
But for The Hangover Part III, basically Todd just emailed me and said I was in it, and I was like, “Yay!”
Heather Graham on ‘The Hangover Part III,’ Roles for Women, and More
Marlow Stern
May 24, 2013
If we did this, the policy costs for likely criminals would go up--yay!
Should People Be Forced to Buy Liability Insurance for their Guns?
Megan McArdle
December 28, 2012

Historical Examples of yay

He did so, and when he reached the bottom he found the yay there awaiting him.
The Mountain Chant, A Navajo Ceremony
Washington Matthews
At this moment a shout was heard from the alley, "Yay, Penrod!"
The Boy Scouts Book of Stories
Various
Ickle bother can't say nuffin, without me to sow him the yay of it.
The Maid of Sker
Richard Doddridge Blackmore
Today Yay Nuni was granted an allowance of 15 laks from Parsarr,2668 made to put on a dress of honour, and given his leave.
The Bbur-nma in English
Babur, Emperor of Hindustan
"Yay," sed the Shaker, and he led the way into the house, another Shaker bein sent to put my hosses and waggin under kiver.
The Complete Works of Artemus Ward
Charles Farrar Browne (AKA Artemus Ward)

British Dictionary definitions for yay

yay

interjection

informal an exclamation indicating approval, congratulation, or triumph

Word Origin for yay

C20: perhaps from yeah

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for yay

"this," as in yay big "this big," 1950s, perhaps from yea "yes" in its sense of "even, truly, verily." "a sort of demonstrative adverb used with adjectives of size, height, extent, etc., and often accompanied by a hand gesture indicating size" [DAS].