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Although yen suggests no more than a strong desire these days (as in “a yen for a beach vacation”), at one time someone with a yen was in deep trouble: the first meaning of yen, used in the late 19th century, was an intense craving for opium. The word comes from yīn-yáhn, a combination of yīn, meaning “opium,” and yáhn, “craving,” in the Chinese language used in the province of Guangdong. In English, the Chinese syllables were translated as yen-yen, and eventually shortened to yen.
Synonyms of yen
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Noun (2)
Verb
Examples of yen in a Sentence
Noun (2)
I have a strange yen to take the day off from work
Verb
A car lover who predictably yens for the latest and greatest new models.
Recent Examples on the Web
Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
Tokyo wants to appear to be fighting a weak yen, while welcoming it in private.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to 1% on Tuesday, citing challenges stemming from a weak Japanese yen and higher prices.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
The policy tightening comes at a time when Japan has been struggling with a weak yen and inflation that has started to creep up, partly due to the Iran war.
—Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 16 June 2026
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Noun
The Takaichi government, Tanaka argues, has taken the path of least resistance, committing $19 billion to subsidize gasoline prices and keeping pump prices capped at around 170 yen per liter.
—Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
Tokyo wants to appear to be fighting a weak yen, while welcoming it in private.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to 1% on Tuesday, citing challenges stemming from a weak Japanese yen and higher prices.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
The policy tightening comes at a time when Japan has been struggling with a weak yen and inflation that has started to creep up, partly due to the Iran war.
—Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for yen
Cite this Entry
“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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