Where does “yay” come from?
yay (English) comes from English yea, from Middle English yë, from Old English ġē, from Proto-Germanic jahw, from Proto-Germanic -hw, from Proto-Germanic -hwe, from Proto-Indo-European -kʷe — and; Forms distributives from interrogatives.
yay (English): "Yay! I have finally finished my work!";...
Definitions
- "Yay! I have finally finished my work!";...
Ancestry of “yay”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | yea | Yes; Thus, so; Or even, or more like, nay |
| 2 | Middle English | yë | Alternative form of eie |
| 3 | Old English | ġē | ye |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | jahw | and, also |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -hw | and; Forms distributives from interrogatives |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -hwe | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -kʷe | and; Forms distributives from interrogatives |