# yell

> English word · Verb · IPA /jɛl/ · frequency rank #9,008

## Definitions
1. To shout; holler; make a loud sound with the voice, especially to express intense emotions such as anger or excitement.
2. To convey by shouting.
3. To tell someone off, to scold or rebuke, typically in a loud and angry manner.

## Etymology
From Middle English ȝellen, yellen, from Old English ġiellan, from Proto-Germanic *gellaną. Cognate with Saterland Frisian gälje (“to yell”), Dutch gillen (“to yell”), German Low German gellen (“to yell”), German gellen (“to yell”).

## Easily confused with
- **yet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yet)
- **yes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yes)
- **yep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yep)
- **yen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yen)
- **yer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yer)
- **yew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yew)
- **yeo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yeo)
- **yelp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yelp)
- **yolk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yolk)
- **yeti** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yeti)
- **YOLO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yolo)
- **Yule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yule)
- **yield** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yield)
- **yellow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yellow)
- **Yellen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yell-vs-yellen)
- **ye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ye-vs-yell)
- **yea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yea-vs-yell)
- **yeh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yeh-vs-yell)
- **yee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/yee-vs-yell)
- **year** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/year-vs-yell)

## Common misspellings (4)
`eyll`, `yel`, `ylel`, `yyell`

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