yay

¹ American  

[yey] / yeɪ /

interjection

Informal.

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

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yay ² American  

[yey] / yeɪ /

Or yea

adverb

Informal.

1. to the extent, amount, etc., indicated.

   The doll is about yay high.

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yay British  

/ jeɪ /

interjection

1. informal an exclamation indicating approval, congratulation, or triumph

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Etymology

Origin of yay¹

First recorded in 1960–65; perhaps alteration of yeah

Origin of yay¹

Probably < yea

Example Sentences

She also kept a digital folder, labeled “Yay,” where she recorded praise from clients and goals she surpassed.

From The Wall Street Journal

At one point, the Parliament-Funkadelic leader utters, “bow wow wow, yippie yo yippie yay” — a line from his 1982 solo hit “Atomic Dog” that Snoop has used in multiple songs.

From Los Angeles Times

“To be able to be like, yay, things are funny and rolling along and laughing and then all of a sudden it’s like, we’re humans and we lose people and our relationships break, and the beautiful part about life is repair,” says Ellis in a phone call earlier this month.

From Los Angeles Times

It will kind of never end from here in ways, so you know, yay?

From Los Angeles Times

“Oh, yay—it’s you again,” I say.

From Literature