yea

1 of 2

adverb

ˈyā How to pronounce yea (audio)
Synonyms of yeanext
1
: yes
—used in oral voting
2
: more than this : not only so but
—used to introduce a more explicit or emphatic phrase
Yet the impression, yea the evidence, is inescapable …—Joseph G. Harrison
3
informal : to this extent or degree
The hole was yea [=this] big
yea high
yea tall

yea

2 of 2

noun

1
: affirmation, assent
2
a
: an affirmative vote
b
: a person casting a yea vote

Synonyms of yea

Relevance

Adverb

Noun

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Examples of yea in a Sentence

Adverb we will go to the new land, and, yea, we will pursue our dreams! I vote yea on the proposed increase in the school budget. Noun the measure passed with 50 yeas and 17 nays
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
There have been a couple of voluntary buyouts during the past 25 yeas. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026 And on July 2, after the arrival of British forces in New York lent the proceedings new urgency, Congress did, in fact, declare independence—with a vote of 12 yeas, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 July 2026 Caltrans has cleaned up the site twice over the past five yeas. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 17 June 2026 But in 1984, a menace to Yuletide morality yea more dire than Starbucks holiday cups stirred vociferous objections. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yea

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English ye, ya, from Old English gēa; akin to Old High German jā yes

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of yea was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing yea

Rhymes for yea

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Browse Nearby Words

ye
yea
yeah
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Cite this Entry

“Yea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yea. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

yea

1 of 2 adverb
ˈyā How to pronounce yea (audio)
1
: yes entry 1 sense 1
—used in oral voting
2
—used to give special force to a phrase that follows
most people, yea everyone, would agree with that

yea

2 of 2 noun
1
: a vote in favor of something
2
: a person casting a yea vote
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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