What does "yea" mean?
An affirmative vote, usually but not always spoken
Yea
/jeɪ/ adv, conj, intj, name, noun
adv, conj, intj, name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An affirmative vote, usually but not always spoken
- Grammar: yea is listed as adv, conj, intj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: a fortiori, above all, absolutely, acceptance.
- Useful contrasts: nay, no, disagreement.
- Usage evidence: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
How to use "yea"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "yea" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "yea" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "yea" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "yea" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "yea" is acting as adv, conj, intj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a fortiori" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "yea", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An affirmative vote, usually but not always spoken dated
"Recently senators could fax in their yeas or nays to the committee chairman."
- 2 yes wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Yes, indeed. dated, not-comparable
"1597–1598, Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum Yea, and the prophet of the heav'nly lyre, / Great Solomon sings in the English quire […]"
- 2 Thus, so (now often accompanied by a hand gesture by way of measurement). Midwestern-US, dated, not-comparable
"This kid... What'd he look like? / Well, he was about yea high. You know, tiny like. I didn't get a good look at him, though. He was back in the kitchen."
Adverb
- 1 not only so, but wordnet
Conjunction
- 1 Or even, or more like, nay. Introduces a stronger and more appropriate expression than the preceding one. archaic, dated
"[N]ow ſuch a liue vngodly, vvithout a care of doing the wil of the Lord (though they profeſſe him in their mouths, yea though they beleeue and acknowledge all the Articles of the Creed, yea haue knowledge of the Scripturs) yet if they liue vngodly, they deny God, and therefore ſhal be denied, […] (with modern spelling) [N]ow such a life ungodly, without a care of doing the will of the Lord (though they profess him in their mouths, yea though they believe and acknowledge all the Articles of the Creed, yea have knowledge of the Scriptures) yet if they live ungodly, they deny God, and therefore shall be denied"
Intj
- 1 Yeah, right, yes. Southern-US, US, Western, dated
- 2 Alternative spelling of yeah. alt-of, alternative, dated, nonstandard, proscribed
- 3 Misspelling of yay. alt-of, dated, misspelling
Proper Noun
- 1 A town in the Shire of Murrindindi, central eastern Victoria, Australia.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "yea"?
Common synonyms include: a fortiori, above all, absolutely, acceptance, additionally, adherence.
How do you use "yea" in a sentence?
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
How do you pronounce "yea"?
Pronounced /jeɪ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English ye, ȝea, ya, ȝa, from Old English ġēa, iā (“yea, yes”), from Proto-West Germanic *jā. The modern pronunciation shows an irregular development of Early Modern English /ɛː/ to /eɪ/ in the standard language, probably from association with the antonym nay.
Etymology 2
From yeah.
Etymology 3
See yay.