"yackety-yak" meaning in English

See yackety-yak in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: En-au-yackety-yak.ogg Forms: yackety-yaks [plural], yakety-yak [alternative], yakkety-yak [alternative], yakity-yak [alternative]
Etymology: Resembles yak (“to chatter”) + -ety or yacket + -y with reduplication; all are ultimately imitative or sound-symbolic in origin. Etymology templates: {{suf|en|yak|-ety|id1=talk|id2=expressive|t1=to chatter}} yak (“to chatter”) + -ety, {{suf|en|yacket|-y}} yacket + -y, {{glossary|reduplication}} reduplication, {{glossary|imitative}} imitative, {{onomatopoeic|en|title=imitative}} imitative, {{sound-symbolic|en|nocap=1}} sound-symbolic Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} yackety-yak (countable and uncountable, plural yackety-yaks)
  1. (slang) prolonged chatter; uninterrupted, idle talk; gossip Tags: countable, slang, uncountable Synonyms: gossip
    Sense id: en-yackety-yak-en-noun-kf-Nt9-z

Verb

Audio: En-au-yackety-yak.ogg Forms: yackety-yaks [present, singular, third-person], yackety-yakking [participle, present], yackety-yakked [participle, past], yackety-yakked [past], yakety-yak [alternative], yakkety-yak [alternative], yakity-yak [alternative]
Etymology: Resembles yak (“to chatter”) + -ety or yacket + -y with reduplication; all are ultimately imitative or sound-symbolic in origin. Etymology templates: {{suf|en|yak|-ety|id1=talk|id2=expressive|t1=to chatter}} yak (“to chatter”) + -ety, {{suf|en|yacket|-y}} yacket + -y, {{glossary|reduplication}} reduplication, {{glossary|imitative}} imitative, {{onomatopoeic|en|title=imitative}} imitative, {{sound-symbolic|en|nocap=1}} sound-symbolic Head templates: {{en-verb|++}} yackety-yak (third-person singular simple present yackety-yaks, present participle yackety-yakking, simple past and past participle yackety-yakked)
  1. (intransitive, slang) To talk pointlessly and uninterruptedly. Tags: intransitive, slang
    Sense id: en-yackety-yak-en-verb-UCMEBBTO Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English onomatopoeias, English reduplications, English terms suffixed with -ety (expressive), English terms suffixed with -y, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 7 93 Disambiguation of English onomatopoeias: 13 87 Disambiguation of English reduplications: 12 88 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ety (expressive): 15 85 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -y: 16 84 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 9 91 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 7 93

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yak",
        "3": "-ety",
        "id1": "talk",
        "id2": "expressive",
        "t1": "to chatter"
      },
      "expansion": "yak (“to chatter”) + -ety",
      "name": "suf"
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    {
      "args": {
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "reduplication"
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    {
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      "name": "glossary"
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    {
      "args": {
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        "title": "imitative"
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      "name": "onomatopoeic"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "sound-symbolic",
      "name": "sound-symbolic"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Resembles yak (“to chatter”) + -ety or yacket + -y with reduplication; all are ultimately imitative or sound-symbolic in origin.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "yackety-yaks",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakkety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakity-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "yackety-yak (countable and uncountable, plural yackety-yaks)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "prolonged chatter; uninterrupted, idle talk; gossip"
      ],
      "id": "en-yackety-yak-en-noun-kf-Nt9-z",
      "links": [
        [
          "prolonged",
          "prolonged"
        ],
        [
          "chatter",
          "chatter"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) prolonged chatter; uninterrupted, idle talk; gossip"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "gossip"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "slang",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-yackety-yak.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "yackety-yak"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yak",
        "3": "-ety",
        "id1": "talk",
        "id2": "expressive",
        "t1": "to chatter"
      },
      "expansion": "yak (“to chatter”) + -ety",
      "name": "suf"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yacket",
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      },
      "expansion": "yacket + -y",
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    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "reduplication"
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      "expansion": "reduplication",
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "imitative"
      },
      "expansion": "imitative",
      "name": "glossary"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "title": "imitative"
      },
      "expansion": "imitative",
      "name": "onomatopoeic"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "sound-symbolic",
      "name": "sound-symbolic"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Resembles yak (“to chatter”) + -ety or yacket + -y with reduplication; all are ultimately imitative or sound-symbolic in origin.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "yackety-yaks",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yackety-yakking",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yackety-yakked",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yackety-yakked",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakkety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakity-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "yackety-yak (third-person singular simple present yackety-yaks, present participle yackety-yakking, simple past and past participle yackety-yakked)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "7 93",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 87",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
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          "_dis": "12 88",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 85",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 84",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 91",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 93",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To talk pointlessly and uninterruptedly."
      ],
      "id": "en-yackety-yak-en-verb-UCMEBBTO",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive, slang) To talk pointlessly and uninterruptedly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive",
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-yackety-yak.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg"
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  "word": "yackety-yak"
}
{
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English onomatopoeias",
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    "English sound-symbolic terms",
    "English terms suffixed with -ety (expressive)",
    "English terms suffixed with -y",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
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        "3": "-ety",
        "id1": "talk",
        "id2": "expressive",
        "t1": "to chatter"
      },
      "expansion": "yak (“to chatter”) + -ety",
      "name": "suf"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yacket",
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        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
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      "name": "sound-symbolic"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Resembles yak (“to chatter”) + -ety or yacket + -y with reduplication; all are ultimately imitative or sound-symbolic in origin.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "yackety-yaks",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakkety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakity-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
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  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
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      "expansion": "yackety-yak (countable and uncountable, plural yackety-yaks)",
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    }
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "prolonged chatter; uninterrupted, idle talk; gossip"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "prolonged",
          "prolonged"
        ],
        [
          "chatter",
          "chatter"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) prolonged chatter; uninterrupted, idle talk; gossip"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "slang",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg"
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  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "gossip"
    }
  ],
  "word": "yackety-yak"
}

{
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
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    "English onomatopoeias",
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    "English sound-symbolic terms",
    "English terms suffixed with -ety (expressive)",
    "English terms suffixed with -y",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yak",
        "3": "-ety",
        "id1": "talk",
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        "t1": "to chatter"
      },
      "expansion": "yak (“to chatter”) + -ety",
      "name": "suf"
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    {
      "args": {
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    {
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      "expansion": "imitative",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
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        "title": "imitative"
      },
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    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "sound-symbolic",
      "name": "sound-symbolic"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Resembles yak (“to chatter”) + -ety or yacket + -y with reduplication; all are ultimately imitative or sound-symbolic in origin.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "yackety-yaks",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yackety-yakking",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yackety-yakked",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yackety-yakked",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakkety-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "yakity-yak",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "yackety-yak (third-person singular simple present yackety-yaks, present participle yackety-yakking, simple past and past participle yackety-yakked)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English intransitive verbs",
        "English slang"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To talk pointlessly and uninterruptedly."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive, slang) To talk pointlessly and uninterruptedly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive",
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-yackety-yak.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/En-au-yackety-yak.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "yackety-yak"
}

Download raw JSONL data for yackety-yak meaning in English (4.5kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-04-02 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-03-21 using wiktextract (db8a5a5 and fb63907). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.