# yea

> English word · Adverb · IPA /jeɪ/ · frequency rank #4,645

## Definitions
1. Yes, indeed.
2. Thus, so (now often accompanied by a hand gesture by way of measurement).

## Etymology
From Middle English ye, ȝea, ya, ȝa, from Old English ġēa, iā (“yea, yes”), from Proto-West Germanic *jā.
The modern pronunciation shows an irregular development of Early Modern English /ɛː/ to /eɪ/ in the standard language, probably from association with the antonym nay.

## Easily confused with
- **yo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yo)
- **yu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yu)
- **yr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yr)
- **Yi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yi)
- **yt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yt)
- **Ys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-ys)
- **YG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yg)
- **YP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yp)
- **you** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-you)
- **yet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yet)
- **yes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yes)
- **yep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yep)
- **yup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yup)
- **yen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yen)
- **yrs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yrs)
- **yoo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yoo)
- **yum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yum)
- **yer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yer)
- **yin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yin)
- **Yun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yun)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/yea