An exclamation expressing joy, approval, or celebration.
From the 19th century, likely derived from or influenced by 'yeah' or 'yes,' but more emphatic and celebratory. It's an interjection created specifically to express the sound of delight in its purest form.
Interestingly, interjections like 'yay' are among the most universal linguistic features across human languages—nearly every culture has celebratory sounds. Some linguists argue interjections evolved before language itself, suggesting our need to express joy is more primal than grammar!
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