noun
Common
yahoo
YAH-hoo
Yahoo (noun) means a loud, rough, or uncultured person. Example: “Some yahoo in the front row kept shouting during the speech.”
noun
1
A loud, rough, or uncultured person.
"Some yahoo in the front row kept shouting during the speech."
"Don't be such a yahoo, people are trying to eat in here."
"A couple of yahoos in a van sped through the quiet village."
intj
1
An exclamation of excitement or joy.
""Yahoooooo! Give her some stick!""
— Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy) (1959)
"Yahoo! We won the game!"
"Yahoo! The holidays start tomorrow and we are going to the beach!"
How to use yahoo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a rowdy, unrefined person, or a shout of pure excitement.
Common mistake
Not to be confused with the internet company Yahoo!, which took its name from the same word.
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Word forms
- Plural
- yahoos
- Third person singular
- yahoos
- Past tense
- yahooed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Some _____ in the front row kept shouting during the speech.
Etymology
Coined by Jonathan Swift in Gulliver's Travels (1726) as the name for a race of crude, brutish humanoids.
Class of 1726
yahoo joined the language around 1726.
See the full Class of 1726 →
Related words
Rhymes for yahoo
See all rhymes for yahoo →Frequently asked questions
What does “yahoo” mean?
The word “yahoo” means a loud, rough, or uncultured person. In plain terms, either a rowdy, unrefined person, or a shout of pure excitement.
How do you pronounce “yahoo”?
“Yahoo” is pronounced YAH-hoo (/ˈjɑːhuː/ in IPA).
How do you use “yahoo” in a sentence?
Here is “yahoo” used in a sentence: “Some yahoo in the front row kept shouting during the speech.”
What part of speech is “yahoo”?
Depending on how it is used, “yahoo” can be a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “yahoo” come from?
The word “yahoo” dates back to around 1726. Coined by Jonathan Swift in Gulliver's Travels (1726) as the name for a race of crude, brutish humanoids.
Is “yahoo” a common word?
“Yahoo” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “yahoo” have?
“Yahoo” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a loud, rough, or uncultured person.
Is yahoo an insult?
Yes, when used to describe a person, yahoo is a mildly insulting or dismissive term for someone loud, rough, or uncultured. It is informal and typically used in casual speech rather than formal writing.
What is the difference between yahoo the noun and yahoo the exclamation?
As a noun, yahoo describes a loud or uncultured person, often in a critical sense. As an exclamation, "yahoo!" expresses excitement or joy and carries no negative meaning at all.
Is yahoo formal or informal?
Yahoo is informal in both of its meanings and is best suited to casual conversation rather than professional or academic writing.
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