yen

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈyen 

plural yen

: the basic monetary unit of Japan see Money Table

yen

2 of 3

noun (2)

: a strong desire or propensity

a yen for the sea

also : urge, craving

a yen for ice cream

yen

3 of 3

verb

yenned; yenning

intransitive verb

: to have an intense desire : long

Did you know?

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

Noun (2)

• craving
• desire
• thirst
• longing
• urge
• appetite
• hunger

Verb

• crave
• pine (for)
• die (for)
• hunger (for)
• long (for)
• thirst (for)
• repine (for)
• wish (for)
• want
• itch (for)
• salivate (for)
• sigh (for)
• lust (for or after)
• jones (for)
• yearn (for)
• ache (for)
• hanker (for or after)

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

Noun

The Japanese yen has dramatically weakened over the past decade, causing gold holdings for Japanese investors to surge 375% compared to a 205% rise in dollar terms. — Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

The United States has mounted an intervention to prop up the value of the Japanese yen, which recently touched a four-decade low against the dollar. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026

American yen purchases were reportedly funded by the sale of euros. — Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

With the situation in Iran and Hormuz still in flux—Bessent seemed to cheer markets this week with news of another ceasefire deal close in the strait—the weakening yen represented another crack in the still mighty status of the dollar. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Japanese en

Noun (2)

obsolete English argot yen-yen craving for opium, from Chin (Guangdong) yīn-yáhn, from yīn opium + yáhn craving

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1874, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1906, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1919, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing yen

• the yen
• yen-shee

Rhymes for yen

• ben
• bren
• chen
• den
• en
• gen
• glen
• hen
• jen
• ken
• men
• pen

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Kids Definition

yen

1 of 2 noun

ˈyen 

plural yen

1

: the basic unit of money of Japan

2

: a coin worth one yen

yen

2 of 2 noun

: an intense desire : longing