YANKEE Definition & Meaning

Yankee

[ yang-kee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a native or inhabitant of the United States.
a native or inhabitant of New England.
a native or inhabitant of a northern U.S. state, especially of one of the northeastern states that sided with the Union in the American Civil War.
a federal or northern soldier in the American Civil War.
a word used in communications to represent the letter Y.
Military. the NATO name for a class of streamlined, nuclear-powered Soviet submarines, with 16 multiple-warhead ballistic missiles: first produced for the Soviet Navy in the 1960s; in service with the Russian Navy 1992–95.

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of a Yankee or Yankees:
Yankee ingenuity.

Yankee

/ ˈ��æŋ��ɪ /

noun

derogatory.
a native or inhabitant of the US; American
a native or inhabitant of New England
a native or inhabitant of the Northern US, esp a Northern soldier in the Civil War
communications a code word for the letter y
finance a bond issued in the US by a foreign borrower

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of Yankees

Yankee

Originally a nickname for people from New England , now applied to anyone from the United States. Even before the American Revolutionary War , the term Yankee was used by the British to refer, derisively, to the American colonists. Since the Civil War , American southerners have called all northerners Yankees. Since World War I , the rest of the world has used the term to refer to all Americans.

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Notes

The expression “Yankee, go home” reflects foreign resentment of American presence or involvement in other nations' affairs.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of Yankee¹

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90 of uncertain origin; perhaps back formation from Dutch Jan Kees “John Cheese,” nickname (mistaken for plural) applied by the Dutch of colonial New York to English settlers in Connecticut

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of Yankee¹

C18: perhaps from Dutch Jan Kees John Cheese, nickname used derisively by Dutch settlers in New York to designate English colonists in Connecticut

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The New York Yankees sold more tickets than any team besides the Dodgers in each of the past three seasons.

From

"No New York Yankees hat. I left it in the hotel. People might come up to us, treat us differently. But so far, so good," he added.

From

Originally conceived of by Leanhardt while working in the Yankees’ front office, the bowling-pin-shaped torpedo model eschews the typical characteristics of traditional bat designs.

From

The New York Yankees can have their torpedo bats, because the Dodgers’ extensive use of deferred money wins innovation of the year.

From

The reaction across MLB to the design of the New York Yankees’ new ‘torpedo’ bats after the Bronx Bombers belted 13 home runs in two games was swift.

From

yank Yankee bond

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