One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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Ya – Ye

Yacht – Large boat for pleasure or racing

Yachtsman – One who sails a yacht

Yardstick – Standard of measurement

Yarn – Story (often exaggerated) / Spun thread

Yawning – Involuntary wide opening of mouth due to tiredness

Yearbook – Annual publication

Yearling – Animal one year old

Yeoman – Farmer owning and cultivating small land

Yeomanry – Class of small farmers

Yeoman’s Service – Valuable, loyal service

Yesteryear – Time past

Yesterday – Day before today

Yeast – Fungus used in fermentation

Yellow-bellied – Cowardly

Yellow-card – Warning in football

Yellow Journalism – Sensationalist, unethical journalism

Yellow Pages – Telephone directory for businesses

Yellow Fever – Viral disease spread by mosquitoes

Yellow Belt – Beginner’s level in martial arts

Yellow Metal – Brass

One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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Yi – Yo

Yield – To produce or surrender

Yin and Yang – Chinese dual forces (opposites complementing each other)

Yippee – Exclamation of joy

Yodel – Singing with rapid pitch change

Yoga – Discipline of mind and body practices

Yogi – One who practices yoga

Yogic – Related to yoga

Yogini – Female practitioner of yoga

Yogism – System of yoga philosophy

Yogic Breathing – Control of breath (Pranayama)

Yoke – Wooden bar on animals; burden; join together

Yokel – Simple, unsophisticated country person

Youngling – Young person or animal

Youngster – A young person

Youthful – Full of youth or vigor

Youthquake – Cultural shift influenced by youth

Yours Truly – Humble self-reference in letters

YouTuber – Person who creates YouTube content

Yowl – Loud, wailing cry (esp. cats)

Yonder – At some distance, over there

One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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Yu – Yz

Yuletide – Christmas season

Yule Log – Traditional Christmas log cake/firewood

Yuan – Currency of China

Yuppie – Young urban professional

Yuppiedom – Culture of yuppies

Yuppify – To make an area more fashionable for young professionals

Yttrium – Metallic element (atomic no. 39)

Yuppiesque – Having qualities of a yuppie

Yachtswoman – Woman who sails a yacht

Yaws – Tropical infectious skin disease

One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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Scientific/Medical Words

Y-chromosome – Male determining chromosome

Y-linked – Gene located on Y chromosome

Yolk – Yellow part of an egg

Yolk-sac – Membrane enclosing yolk in embryos

Yersinia – Genus of bacteria (includes plague bacteria)

Yersinia Pestis – Plague-causing bacterium

Yaws Disease – Bacterial disease affecting skin and bones

Yellow Spot – Macula of the retina

Yellow Bone Marrow – Fat-storing marrow inside bones

Yeast Infection – Infection caused by fungus candida

One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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Miscellaneous (Cultural, Historical, Idiomatic)

Yardarm – End of a ship’s yard (spar)

Yardie – Jamaican gang member

Yardman – Person who works in a yard/garden

Yardwork – Work done in a garden/yard

Yarmulke – Skullcap worn by Jewish men

Yarmouth – Type of herring (fish)

Yashmak – Veil worn by Muslim women

Yen – Currency of Japan

Yen (for something) – Deep desire or craving

Yesternight – Last night

One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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Advanced Words

Yammer – To complain loudly, whine

Yapping – Barking noisily (dogs); talking nonstop

Yaw – Deviate from course (ships/planes)

Yawl – Small sailing boat

Yob – Rude, noisy young man

Yobbo – Synonym for yob

Yogacara – Buddhist philosophy school

Yogism – Practice/teachings of yoga

Yogic Diet – Sattvic food prescribed in yoga

Yogini Tantra – Ancient Indian Tantric text

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Rare/Scholarly Words with Y

Yoke-fellow – Companion, partner

Yokemate – Partner in work or life

Younker – Young nobleman (archaic)

Yugas – Epochs in Hindu philosophy

Yuga Cycle – Cycle of four ages (Satya, Treta, Dvapara, Kali)

Yule – Christmas festival (Old English)

Yulan – Type of magnolia flower

Yaupon – North American holly plant

Yaffle – Green woodpecker (British)

Yabby – Australian freshwater crayfish

One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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Final 10 High-value Picks

Yardstick – Standard for comparison

Yeoman – Independent farmer

Yellow Journalism – Sensational journalism

Yoke – Symbol of burden or bondage

Yen – Currency / Deep craving

Yoga – Discipline of mind-body

Yogi – Practitioner of yoga

Yuppie – Young urban professional

Yuan – Chinese currency

Yuletide – Christmas season

One Word Substitutions Starting with Y

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One Word Substitutions Starting with Z