Standard Lemma guide

yea

adv · conj · intj · name · noun · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • yā
  • /jeɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪ
  • homophone: yay
  • homophone: Ye
  • obsolete: yī
  • obsolete: /jiː/
  • Early, Modern: /jiː/
  • Early, Modern: /jɛː/
  • /ˈjɛ(ə)/
  • /ˈjæ(ə)/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛə
  • CMU ARPABET: Y EY1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Yes, indeed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, not-comparable

Examples

  • 1597–1598, Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum Yea, and the prophet of the heav'nly lyre, / Great Solomon sings in the English quire [...]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Thus, so (now often accompanied by a hand gesture by way of measurement).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Midwestern-US, dated, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

conj

Meaning 3

Or even, or more like, nay. Introduces a stronger and more appropriate expression than the preceding one.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

intj

Meaning 4

Yeah, right, yes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Southern-US, US, Western, dated

Qualifier: African-American Vernacular

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

intj

Meaning 5

Alternative spelling of yeah.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, dated, nonstandard, proscribed

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

intj

Meaning 6

Misspelling of yay.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, dated, misspelling

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

name

Meaning 7

A town in the Shire of Murrindindi, central eastern Victoria, Australia.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

An affirmative vote, usually but not always spoken

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: aye

Antonyms: nay

9

adverb

Meaning 9

not only so, but

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: yeah

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

an affirmative

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The yeas have it

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: nay

Broader terms: affirmative

History

Etymology

From Middle English ye, ȝea, ya, ȝa, from Old English ġēa, iā (“yea, yes”), from Proto-West Germanic *jā. The modern pronunciation shows an irregular development of Early Modern English /ɛː/ to /eɪ/ in the standard language, probably from association with the antonym nay.

From yeah.

See yay.