yak

1 of 4

noun (1)

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

Illustration of yak
  • 1yak

less common variant of yuk entry 1

1
slang : laugh
did it just for yuks
2
slang : joke, gag

yak

3 of 4

verb

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The property comes with a herd of yak, right. Katherine Clarke, WSJ, 26 July 2022 The yak butter and rock shelters and people who sheltered her were intertwined with her. Ailsa Ross, Longreads, 4 Apr. 2023 The property comes with a herd of yak. Katherine Clarke, WSJ, 26 July 2022 Elise Wortley pulled her yak wool coat tight around her as the mountain temperature dropped to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Claire Turrell, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2023 Try not to spill any yak on your leisure suit. Brooklyn White, Essence, 18 Nov. 2022 The supplies had to withstand flying across the world, being transported to base camp strapped to a yak, and then carried in backpacks traversing the unforgiving terrain, which included frozen waterfalls, to Camp 2 -- without the cookies turning to crumbs, the release said. Claire Colbert, CNN, 13 Mar. 2022 Bhotia buys local ingredients from Durango yak farmers and cultivates special catering events for locals. Jess Eng, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2022 Maybe Jack's yak-herding videos on Instagram go viral — and having the company's logo on those cowbells turned out to be great marketing. Mark Robinson, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of yak was in 1795

Dictionary Entries Near yak

Cite this Entry

“Yak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yak. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on yak

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