When you stumble upon a new slang word like “yeet,” you might wonder, “What Does Yeet Mean?” It’s a fair question, especially in the ever-evolving world of online language. At what.edu.vn, we’re dedicated to deciphering these linguistic trends. You won’t find “yeet” in a traditional dictionary just yet, but its increasing popularity and evolving usage are making it a word to watch.
For a word to officially enter the dictionary, it needs more than just fleeting popularity. It requires “sustained, meaningful, widespread use.” This means lexicographers look for evidence that many people are using the word consistently over time to communicate a specific meaning. “Yeet” has been on their radar for a while, showing widespread use for years. However, the “meaningful use” aspect was initially less clear. Was it just a random shout, or did it carry actual communicative weight?
Understanding How ‘Yeet’ is Used Today
Recent examples clearly demonstrate that “yeet” is solidifying its meaning, particularly as a verb. Consider these instances:
Imagine a Twitter feature so powerful it “yeets a nasty user into the sea.” – Caitlin Welsh, Mashable.com, June 15, 2021
Prince Charming “yeets himself through a window” in a moment of dramatic flair. – Angie Barry, The Times (Ottawa, Illinois), Dec. 9, 2021
Headline: Watch A Wooden Plank Yeet Itself Off A Truck – Jalopnik.com, June 22, 2021
“Yeet the Treats,” – throwing candy from a distance for a safe Halloween. – Amanda Chin, cnycentral.com (Syracuse and Central New York), Sept. 22, 2020
Headline: All The Things You’ll Have To Yeet Money At As An Adult – Pedestrian.tv, July 21, 2021
These examples reveal that “yeet” is commonly used as a synonym for “throw.” But it’s not just any throw. “Yeet” implies a forceful throw, often with a sense of dismissal or energetic abandon. When you “yeet” something, you’re not delicately placing it; you’re launching it, often without much concern for where it lands.
Beyond its verb form, “yeet” also functions as an interjection. In fact, this was its initial rise to fame, earning the American Dialect Society’s 2018 “Slang/Informal Word of the Year.” As an interjection, “yeet” expresses surprise or excitement.
Tracing the Early Origins of ‘Yeet’
The interjection form of “yeet” appears to be the word’s starting point. Early evidence suggests its use in expressions of enthusiasm. One of the earliest documented instances comes from 2007:
“Yeet,” yelled by the Ramsay students section whenever a player makes a free throw. Its meaning? No one knows—not coaches, not players, not cheerleaders, not fans. – “Final Four Notes,” Birmingham (Alabama) News, Mar. 3, 2007
Urban Dictionary entries from around 2008 further solidify this interjection meaning. An early definition from March 2008 describes “yeet” as: “Term used to express excitement; especially used in basketball when someone has shot a three-pointer that they are sure will go in the hoop.”
Interestingly, Twitter may have even predated Urban Dictionary in documenting “yeet.” Tweets from February 2008 show “yeet” used in exclamatory ways:
‘WITH MY MOON BEAMING IN THE DISTANCE! YEET! YEET!’ – @MzJetson, Feb. 16, 2008
LMFAO @lewd. thats some batman shit. YEET YEET! – @MzJetson, Feb. 16, 2008
Other early tweets from 2008 show “yeet” used in similarly celebratory or enthusiastic contexts. It seems “yeet” began as a versatile exclamation.
‘Yeet’ Explodes in Popularity Through Vine
While “yeet” existed in online slang prior, its true explosion into mainstream awareness happened around 2014, thanks to the now-defunct Vine video platform. Vine’s short-form video format was perfect for viral trends, and “yeet” found its moment.
In spring 2014, a Vine featuring a dance by Lil’ Meatball went viral. The dance, punctuated by arm swings and energetic movements, became synonymous with the word, even if the exact connection wasn’t immediately clear.
Shortly after, in summer 2014, another crucial Vine video emerged. This one featured a girl yelling “yeet!” as she forcefully threw a soda can down a school hallway. This video directly linked the interjection “yeet” with the action of throwing, solidifying the verb form in the popular consciousness.
Beyond the Throw: Other Facets of ‘Yeet’
While “yeet” is now strongly associated with throwing, it’s worth noting other, less common uses. “Yeet hay” is a term from Chinese medicine, referring to the concept of internal “heat” imbalance caused by certain foods.
“It’s too hot,” [Pang Yun] Fei says. She was referring not to the spice level of the chicken but the “warm” nature of fried foods as defined by Chinese medicine, which categorizes food into three thermal natures that must be kept in balance. They begin a somber conversation about the dangers of yeet hay… a Cantonese term literally translating to “hot air”. – Frank Shyong, The Los Angeles Times, May 27, 2019
There’s also a historical, obsolete meaning of “yeet” related to the pronoun “ye,” but this usage is no longer relevant in modern English.
Will ‘Yeet’ Make it to the Dictionary?
“Yeet” has evolved from a seemingly nonsensical interjection to a verb with a defined meaning and widespread use. Its journey from basketball courts and early tweets to viral Vine videos demonstrates the dynamic nature of language in the digital age.
As “yeet” continues to be used in diverse contexts and its meaning becomes even more established, it’s increasingly likely that you might just “yeet” it into a dictionary in the near future. For now, understanding “what does yeet mean” requires engaging with online culture and observing how language adapts and grows organically. Yeet!
