[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/yay/)

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# yay

interjection (yay — informal); adverb (yay — US informal, «yay big»)

«yay» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal) A cry of joy, excitement or approval, like «hooray». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#m1)
2. (US, informal) This much; about this size, shown with the hands: «yay big», «yay high». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#m2)

### In the lessons

Very common in children's talk, messages and stories with real speech: «Yay, it's snowing!» Tells the reader a character is happy. Sometimes said in a flat voice to mean the opposite (sarcasm): «Oh yay, more homework.»

### Examples

- Yay! We won the match! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#x1)
- Yay, it's pizza night! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#x2)
- The class cheered «Yay!» when the bell rang. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#x3)
- «Oh yay, more homework,» he said, not happy at all. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#x4)
- The fish was about yay big. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#x5)
- Yay for Gran, who baked the cake! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/#x6)

### Note

Informal; not for formal writing except in speech. Do not confuse with «yeah» (yes) or «nay» (no). Sarcastic «yay» means the speaker is not pleased.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «yay» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Y/yay/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«yay» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/yay.html) on Mova free.