English word origin

Etymology of yah

An alternative pronunciation, equivalent of yeah and yes.

3 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

intj

An expression uttered to encourage a horse to run faster.

adv

Yes.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

An alternative pronunciation, equivalent of yeah and yes.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "yeah",
      "yeah#English"
    ],
    [
      "yes",
      "yes#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "An expression uttered to encourage a horse to run faster."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "5b25520a3a2894c667c17bb93a2789b0308d37360c80c5fbd497ddd4fcc5e70f",
      "rawRecordSha256": "1416ba95083deabf18c447f21b8ff3cea2e09bf2358d431bcafa2d1acea9c0e2",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 284442
    },
    {
      "pos": "adv",
      "glosses": [
        "Yes."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "India",
        "Malaysia",
        "New-Zealand",
        "Singapore",
        "South-Africa",
        "UK",
        "US"
      ],
      "recordId": "775ebc72443d9d24e5ffc9a58047a0692c2a47b294a140c4a524053d9ea17cfb",
      "rawRecordSha256": "d659f3139e76d5a6f4489f21923d9b19b3ae6bdd82c203600afeff1af18dd74c",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 284441
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

An upper-class person, especially a Sloane Ranger.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From the pronunciation of “yes” which such people use.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "yes",
      "yes"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "An upper-class person, especially a Sloane Ranger."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "0c12e739779907b6d524eb327b8560bf227cc03f73bba9a7e6a02df19208c4e3",
      "rawRecordSha256": "82e0f86f44120c9c415f9aaba8a636a7c26e5baa6693ce8b444bbc06281e9282",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 284443
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

pron

Pronunciation spelling of you.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From you.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "you",
      "you#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "pron",
      "glosses": [
        "Pronunciation spelling of you."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "pronunciation-spelling"
      ],
      "recordId": "dfafa5f58d88bb1d254f205f7b94931d1337e247dd8a92f7fd0d65ffb65af3e4",
      "rawRecordSha256": "8834dac7267b268149a4bd738a18d662d8412bc098228c801b566d69b776a40b",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 284444
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for yah →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-eWFo