How to Pronounce Yankee

To pronounce "yankee", say YANK-ee — 2 syllables. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

yankee

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying yankee, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

2

Syllables

6

Letters

YANK-ee

Say it like

💡 Tip for remembering “yankee”

"yankee" has 2 syllables: yank-ee. It rhymes with lanky and cranky, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: yankey — easy to mix up when writing.

What does yankee mean?

noun

  1. A headsail resembling a genoa or a jib but with a high-cut clew, normally used together with a staysail. A sailing boat is typically equipped with three yankee sails of different sizes, number one being the largest.

Hear “yankee” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with yankee

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

lankycrankyskankymankyhankiehankyblankiefrankiesankeyfrankestankey

Related words

northernernorthernyankconnecticutdoodledoodlesfederalamerican

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "yankee"?▾

"Yankee" has 2 syllables: yank · ee.

What does "yankee" mean?▾

Yankee: A headsail resembling a genoa or a jib but with a high-cut clew, normally used together with a staysail. A sailing boat is typically equipped with three yankee sails of different sizes, number one being the largest.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “yankee” in the full dictionary →