DictionaryAI

yea

YAY/jeɪ/

Noun pluralyeas

6 meanings of yea

Practice

  1. 1
    SayYEH/jɛə/
    interjectionnonstandard
    Nonstandard spelling of yeah, meaning yes in casual talk. Many people see it as a mistake.

    Yea, I'll be there in five minutes.

    You coming out tonight? Yea, for sure.

    UsageSpell the casual yes yeah (not incorrect: yea).

  2. 2
    yes votenouncountable
    A vote that means yes to a plan or proposal.

    The mayor counted every yea before announcing the result.

    Recently senators could fax in their yeas or nays to the committee chairman.
    2009, “Still Broken After All These Years”, in The New York TimesHere, yeas means votes in favor.

    UsageSay yeas and nays.

    Similaraye, yes

    Oppositenay

    Note
  3. 3
    formal yesadverbarchaic
    Yes. Used to agree or to say something is true.

    UsageIt sounds like yay and rhymes with nay.

    Similaraye

    Oppositenay, no

    Note
  4. 4
    hoorayinterjectionnonstandardmisspelling
    A misspelling of yay: a happy shout when something good happens.

    Yea, we won the game!

    Yea, it's finally the weekend!

Less common meanings

  1. 5
    conjunctionarchaic
    Used to put an even stronger word right after a first, weaker one.
    O stay, three lives in one flea spare, Where we almost, yea, more than married are.
    c. 1633, John Donne, The FleaHere, yea means or even, leading to a stronger statement.
    Note
  2. 6
    this muchadverbcolloquialUS
    Used with a hand gesture to show how big or tall something is.

    Like holding your hands apart to show how big a fish was.

    The puppy was only yea tall when we first got him.

    She held her hands apart and said the crack was yea wide.

    UsageUsed before a size word: yea high, about yea long.

    Similarthis (entry), so

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of yea apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 2–3, 5–6

From an Old English word meaning "yea, yes". Its modern sound may come from being linked with its opposite, "nay".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

  • Yea derives from an Old English word meaning “yea, yes”. en.wiktionary.org
  • The modern pronunciation may result from association with its opposite, nay. en.wiktionary.org
Meaning 1

From "yeah".

Meaning 4

A mistaken spelling of yay.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact