yak

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈyak 

plural yaks also yak

: a large long-haired wild or domesticated ox (Bos grunniens synonym B. mutus) of Tibet and adjacent elevated parts of central Asia

Illustration of yak

• ¹yak

yak

2 of 4

noun (2)

ˈyäk  ˈyak 

less common variant of yuk entry 1

1

slang : laugh

did it just for yuks

2

slang : joke, gag

yak

3 of 4

verb

ˈyak 

variants or less commonly yack

yakked also yacked; yakking also yacking

intransitive verb

: to talk persistently : chatter

yak

4 of 4

noun (3)

variants or less commonly yack

: persistent or voluble talk

Examples of yak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Now aggressive contests between domestic and wild yaks are headaches for local herders. —Discover Magazine, 5 July 2024

But yaks, horses, and gazelles also appeared, along with two species of deer. —John Timmer, Ars Technica, 3 July 2024

Their work revealed that Denisovans could hunt, butcher and process a range of different large and small animals, including woolly rhinos, blue sheep, wild yaks, marmots and birds. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 July 2024

This fantasy New York is populated by anthropomorphized animals—yaks in business suits, gazelles in dresses and lipstick—and for Dog and Robot, everything, from an octopus subway drummer to a morning of roller-dancing in Central Park, is a source of delight. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 2 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Tibetan (Lhasa dialect) yaʔ (spelled gyag)

Verb

probably imitative

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1795, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1950, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

yak

noun

ˈyak

plural yaks also yak

: a large long-haired wild or domesticated ox of Tibet and nearby elevated parts of central Asia