yak
yak Lexical Profile
yak Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large, heavily built domesticated bovid with shaggy hair and prominent horns, native to the Himalayas, the Tibetan Plateau, and central Asia, primarily used as a pack animal and for its milk and meat.
"The nomadic herders relied on a sturdy yak to transport their heavy tents and supplies across the treacherous mountain passes."
North American A lengthy, uninterrupted, or trivial conversation.
"After years of not seeing each other, the two friends sat on the porch and had a long yak about their college days."
• verb
To talk at length about trivial, superficial, or boring matters; to chatter continuously.
"The students kept yakking in the back row until the professor paused the lecture to ask for quiet."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to continuous chatter, the word is highly informal and frequently spelled 'yack', whereas 'yak' remains the standard, exclusive spelling for the Himalayan bovid.
• Rhymes for yak
Word Origin & Etymology
The noun denoting the animal originates from the Tibetan word 'g.yag', which specifically referred to the male of the species. The verb meaning 'to chatter' emerged in the mid-20th century as an echoic word imitating the sound of continuous, trivial talking.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.