yob
/jɒb/
"yob" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“yob” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 3
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A boy.
Corpus desk
Index EN-yob · yob · English
yob · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MID 3 letters
- VOW-2 2 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "Y" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | yob |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /jɒb/ |
| Letters | 3 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “yob” in English
Rare enough to double-check
yob is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /jɒb/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for yob, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Backslang for boy. The second sense was likely influenced by hobnob and/or yokel. The correct English form is yob, spelled Y-O-B.
Definition
- 1A boy.
- 2A person who engages in antisocial behaviour or drunkenness.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how yob appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
And you bet that each gal, not to mention each yob, Didn't care how much ooftish it cost 'em per nob.
As we left the cemetery, I heard an elderly gravedigger muttering back slang to himself before Lucien's headstone. "Bloody shame, ain't it? Doubt the yob did much living by eighteen." I corrected the man, saying, “No fear, that yob did plenty of living.”
Etymology
Backslang for boy. The second sense was likely influenced by hobnob and/or yokel.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.