Phrase guide

yes, Virginia

phrase · 1 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈjɛs vəˈd͡ʒɪn.i.ə/
  • General-American: /ˈjɛs vəɹˈd͡ʒɪn.jə/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪniə

1

phrase

Meaning 1

Used to express that something is true, despite skepticism by some people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: humorous, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From a celebrated line in an editorial on September 27, 1897, by the American journalist Francis Pharcellus Church (1839–1906) in The Sun newspaper published in New York City, in response to eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon asking whether Santa Claus was real: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.”

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kyllä vain — used to express that something is true, despite skepticism by some people