yes

[ yes ]

adverb

1. (used to express affirmation or assent or to mark the addition of something emphasizing and amplifying a previous statement):

   Do you want that? Yes, I do.

2. (used to express an emphatic contradiction of a previously negative statement or command):

   Don't do that! Oh, yes I will!

3. (used, usually interrogatively, to express hesitation, uncertainty, curiosity, etc.):

   “Yes?” he said as he opened the door. That was a marvelous show! Yes?

4. (used to express polite or minimal interest or attention.)

noun

, plural yes·es.

1. an affirmative reply.

verb (used with object)

, yessed, yes·sing.

1. to give an affirmative reply to; give assent or approval to.

interjection

1. (used as a strong expression of joy, pleasure, or approval.)

yes

/ jɛs /

sentence substitute

1. used to express acknowledgment, affirmation, consent, agreement, or approval or to answer when one is addressed
2. used, often with interrogative intonation, to signal someone to speak or keep speaking, enter a room, or do something

noun

1. an answer or vote of yes
2. often plural a person who votes in the affirmative

Word History and Origins

Origin of yes¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English yes, yis, Old English gēse (adverb and noun), probably equivalent to gēa yea + sī “be it” (present subjunctive singular of bēon “to be”; be )

Word History and Origins

Origin of yes¹

Old English gēse, from iā sīe may it be; see yea

Example Sentences

In retrospect, the answer is yes, but at the time it must have been less evident.

From Freakonomics

On Monday, Microsoft reported back after two years to say the data center has been retrieved and yes, it is practical.

From Fortune

So, I mean, I’d say yes, but I’m trying to think of some major American institutions that aren’t.

From Freakonomics

Their data analysis suggests the answer to that question is yes.

From Quartz

We are asking the City Council to vote no on any new franchise agreement with an investor-owned utility — and with that decision, to say yes to a greater power service and greater power generally for the people of San Diego.

From Voice of San Diego

And yes, someone has already called Spencer a “Small Fry,” har har.

From The Daily Beast

Yes, we do typically do better than Europe (and Canada, too, which is frequently awful on this score).

From The Daily Beast

But yes, I pictured a James Bond-type just sauntering over to her.

From The Daily Beast

And yes, our values include tolerance of those who wish to make fun of religion.

From The Daily Beast

And that may well be what is happening in the Barnett Shale region around, yes, Dallas and Irving.

From The Daily Beast

Such throats are trying, are they not?In case one catches cold; Ah, yes!

From Project Gutenberg

"Yes, Alessandro," she answered faintly, the gusts sweeping her voice like a distant echo past him.

From Project Gutenberg

They used to believe in witchcraft, and they burned millions—yes, millions—of innocent women as witches.

From Project Gutenberg

"Yes, as there seems no possibility of making any more mistakes on our way, you are free," replied the gravest of the two.

From Project Gutenberg

“Yes; that would be indispensible,” said the baron, whose eyes were sweeping the room from corner to corner, fiercely and swiftly.

From Project Gutenberg

What Is The Plural Of Yes?

Plural word for yes

The plural form of yes is either yeses or yesses, but yeses is more widely used. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -s are also formed the same way, such as bus/buses/busses, gas/gases/gasses, and lotus/lotuses/lotusses. 

In some instances, particularly informally, the plural form of yes is written with an apostrophe, as in yes’s. This is not considered standard, but it may be easier to understand in some contexts because many people are unfamiliar with the plural form of yes. 

The word yes is only pluralized when it is used as a noun rather than in its more common use as an adverb. The word yes as a noun means “an answer or vote of yes” or “a person who votes in the affirmative,” as in The noes outnumbered the yeses.