noun
Yankee
YANG-kee
noun
1
An informal term for someone from the United States, especially (historically) the northern states or New England.
"To much of the world, "Yankee" simply means an American."
2
A player for the New York Yankees baseball team.
"The Yankee at bat hit a home run in the ninth inning."
How to Use Yankee
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA word for an American — its exact meaning narrows depending on who is using it and where.
UK vs US
Outside the US, "Yankee" (or "Yank") usually just means "American." Within the US, Southerners often use it specifically for Northerners.
Word Forms
Yankeed past tense, Yankees plural, Yankees singular
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Etymology
First recorded in 1765 as a mocking name Southern colonists gave to New Englanders; its deeper origin is debated, with theories ranging from a Native American word to a Dutch nickname, Janke, a pet form of "Jan."