Yankee

[ˈjɛŋki]

/[ˈjɛŋki]/ noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“Yankee” is an uncommon German word, ranked #53,393 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#53,393
frequency rank, German
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Staatsbürger der USA

Key facts for Yankee
PropertyValue
HeadwordYankee
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈjɛŋki]
Letters6
Frequency rank#53,393
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Yankee” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Yankee lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Yankee is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈjɛŋki]. Corpus data places it at rank #53,393 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Staatsbürger der USA".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Yankee, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable German rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Yankee, spelled Y-A-N-K-E-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Staatsbürger der USA

Synonyms

AmiUS-Amerikaner

This word in other languages

Yankee(English)yanqui(Español)yankee(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Yankee"?
"Yankee" is spelled Y-A-N-K-E-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈjɛŋki].
What does "Yankee" mean?
As a noun, "Yankee" means: Staatsbürger der USA
How do you pronounce "Yankee"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Yankee" is [ˈjɛŋki]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Yankee" come from?
"Yankee" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Yankee”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is Y-A-N-K-E-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈjɛŋki] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list