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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
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
1 July 2026
Although a weak yen raises the value of exports’ earnings when converted into yen, a boon for Japan’s giant exporters, that positive is starting to be countered by the big negative of rising energy prices.
—
ABC News,
1 July 2026
Viewing skews toward the Kanto region, which accounts for 32 million viewers, and toward middle-income households, with the four-to-eight million yen income bands forming the largest single cohort.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
30 June 2026
And in many ways, a falling yen in 2026 is more dangerous than a rising one in 1986.
—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for yen
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Noun
While the yen has weakened sharply against the dollar, the euro-yen cross has been relatively stable, suggesting that the latest pressure stems partly from broad dollar strength, rather than a loss of confidence in Japan's currency.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
1 July 2026
Although a weak yen raises the value of exports’ earnings when converted into yen, a boon for Japan’s giant exporters, that positive is starting to be countered by the big negative of rising energy prices.
—
ABC News,
1 July 2026
Viewing skews toward the Kanto region, which accounts for 32 million viewers, and toward middle-income households, with the four-to-eight million yen income bands forming the largest single cohort.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
30 June 2026
And in many ways, a falling yen in 2026 is more dangerous than a rising one in 1986.
—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
30 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 3 Jul. 2026.
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