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Added 9 October 2026

yaw

/jɔː/ symbol

First recorded: mid 16th century Wiktionary

symbol Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about yaw at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

ISO 639-3 language code for Yawalapití.

noun

The rotation of an aircraft, ship, or missile about its vertical axis so as to cause the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, ship, or missile to deviate from the flight line or heading in its horizontal plane.
The angle between the longitudinal axis of a projectile at any moment and the tangent to the trajectory in the corresponding point of flight of the projectile.
A vessel's motion rotating about the vertical axis, so the bow yaws from side to side; a characteristic of unsteadiness.

verb

To turn about the vertical axis while maintaining course.
To swerve off course to port or starboard.
To steer badly, zigzagging back and forth across the intended course of a boat; to go out of the line of course.

noun

A single tumor in the disease called yaws.

Origin

Unknown, first attested in the mid-16th century. Perhaps related to yar (“quick, agile”), or alternatively from Old Norse jaga (“to chase, drive, move back and forth”), from Middle Low German jagen (“to hunt, chase, pursue”), from Old Saxon *jagōn, from Proto-West Germanic *jagōn, from Proto-Germanic *jakkōną (“to hunt”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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