Nouns that start with Y

Noun

Definition + Plural Form(s)

Example Sentence

Yacht

A racing- or cruising-ready medium-sized sailing vessel

PLURAL: yachts

He was at sea on his yacht for three days.

Yahoo

An unpleasant, obnoxious, or aggressive person

PLURAL: yahoos

Mike frequently acts like a yahoo around certain friends.

Yam

The extensively cultivated edible starchy tuber of a tropical or subtropical climbing plant

PLURAL: yams

Women are squatting and peeling yams in a clearing beneath a large tree.

Yank

 A swift, forceful pull

PLURAL: yanks

He gave the rope a yank.

Yard

A fully or partially enclosed open area (as by buildings or walls)

PLURAL: yards

An hour of exercise in the prison’s inner yard is permitted for inmates.

Yardage

A length or distance expressed in yards

PLURAL: yardage, yardages

From the tee to the green, the caddie was calculating the yardage.

Yardstick

A benchmark for comparison; a 3-foot-long ruler

PLURAL: yardsticks

League tables are not the primary yardstick of how well a school is doing.

Yarn

Used for knitting, weaving, or stitching, spun thread

PLURAL: yarn, yarns

She continues to spin yarn and knit sweaters for her family.

Yawl

Sailboat with two masts and a mizzen mast stepped back far enough to cause the boom to extend over the stern of the vessel

PLURAL: yawls

After speaking with the captain, I assumed he would send a yawl to pick me up.

Yawn

A habit of opening one’s mouth wide and taking a deep breath as a result of fatigue or boredom

PLURAL: yawns

He stretches while controlling a yawn.

Year

A period of time that is typically measured in 365 days (or 366 days in leap years) starting on January 1

PLURAL: years

Her mother’s passing has made for a difficult year for her.

Yearbook

An annual magazine or book that lists events or other features of the previous year and provides current information; a school publication with pictures and a record of the year’s activities

PLURAL: yearbooks

The yearbook also observed a substantial decline in the number of reported instances of illnesses.

Yearning

An overwhelming desire for something

PLURAL: yearnings

He felt a yearning for the mountains.

Yeast

A microscopic fungus that reproduces by budding single oval cells and can turn sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide

PLURAL: yeasts

To create bread, combine water, yeast, and flour.

Yell

A piercing, loud shout of pain, surprise, or joy

PLURAL: yells

Her foot slipped and she gave a yell of fear.

Yellow

A color whose pigment looks like lemons or butter

PLURAL: yellow, yellows

The bridesmaids wore yellow.

Yelp

A brief, piercing shriek, often expressing pain or anxiety

PLURAL: yelps

He gave a yelp of pain and pulled his hand away.

Yen

A sincere desire for something; monetary unit in Japan

PLURAL: yen

I have a strange yen to take the day off from work.

Yield

A quantity of an industrial or agricultural product that was produced

PLURAL: yields

This year’s wheat yield increased twofold.

Yogi

A skilled yoga practitioner

PLURAL: yogis

The yogi was so focused on his breathing that he was unable to hear or respond to outside input.

Yogurt

A milk-based, semi-solid snack that is frequently flavored and sweetened after being fermented by additional bacteria

PLURAL: yogurts

You can eat a yogurt if you’re still hungry.

Yolk

The yellow interior of a bird’s egg surrounded by a white exterior, which feeds the embryo developing inside. Both proteins and fats are found in it

PLURAL: yolks

Eggs that are barely cooked, with the yolk still runny, are my favorite.

Young

Children or youth; a recently born or hatched animal

PLURAL: young

It is common for swans to carry their young on their backs.

Youthfulness

Relating to or characteristic of being young

PLURAL: youthfulness

I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.

Yumminess

The property of being delicious or tasty

PLURAL: Yumminess

Serve that food warm for melt-in-the-mouth yumminess.