yak

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈyak 

plural yaks also yak

: a large long-haired wild or domesticated ox (Bos grunniens synonym Poephagus grunniens) 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

Zookeepers welcomed a new yak and now the baby and mama are bonding, Alaska officials said. —Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2025

The rule’s intention was to not only preserve nature and reduce helicopter traffic in the region, but to bolster the fading cultural practice and industry of yak herding. —Jake Stern, Outside Online, 13 Mar. 2024

Verb

Safety car after safety car wailed by, while young fans argued about their favorite drivers and old fans yakked about seasons gone by. —Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2025

At 77, the Republican front-runner may even be slipping in the head, yakking about becoming dictator for a day, taking revenge on opponents and mimicking Hitler rhetoric. —George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 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

Rhymes for yak

• ack
• brack
• clack
• crack
• dak
• flack
• flak
• hack
• jack
• knack
• lac
• lack

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