yer
Yer (noun) means a hard or soft sign letter (ъ or ь) in Cyrillic alphabets, once representing very short vowel sounds in old Slavic languages. Example: “Linguists use the term "yer" to describe these historical ultra-short vowels in Old Church Slavonic.”
How to use yer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA linguistic term for the ъ/ь letters and the short vowel sounds they used to represent in Slavic languages.
A technical term mainly used in linguistics; note that "yer" is also common informal spelling for "your" in dialogue (e.g. "yer welcome"), which is a different, non-technical use.
Word forms
yers plural, Yers plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Linguists use the term "_____" to describe these historical ultra-short vowels in Old Church Slavonic.
Etymology
Borrowed from Russian names for these two letters, "ер" and "ерь".
Rhymes for yer
See all rhymes for yer →Frequently asked questions
What does “yer” mean?
The word “yer” means a hard or soft sign letter (ъ or ь) in Cyrillic alphabets, once representing very short vowel sounds in old Slavic languages. In plain terms, a linguistic term for the ъ/ь letters and the short vowel sounds they used to represent in Slavic languages.
How do you pronounce “yer”?
“Yer” is pronounced yur (/jɝ/ in IPA).
How do you use “yer” in a sentence?
Here is “yer” used in a sentence: “Linguists use the term "yer" to describe these historical ultra-short vowels in Old Church Slavonic.”
What part of speech is “yer”?
“Yer” is a noun.
Where does the word “yer” come from?
The word “yer” comes from Russian. Borrowed from Russian names for these two letters, "ер" and "ерь".
Is “yer” a common word?
“Yer” is an uncommon word in modern English.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include yer: