Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| xray | In international radio communication, a code word for the letter x > XRAYS. |
| xyst | A long covered portico or court used by ancient Greek athletes for exercises > XYSTS. Also XYSTOS, XYSTUS. |
| yaar | (Hinglish) friend, man (as a form of address) > YAARS. |
| yaba | (Coll.) yet another bloody acronym. No -S. |
| yack | Persistent or idle talk; (verb) to talk persistently > YACKS, YACKING, YACKED. |
| yads | (Pl.) YAD, a hand-held pointer used for reading the Torah. |
| yaff | (Scots) to bark, scold, nag > YAFFS, YAFFING, YAFFED. |
| yage | a tropical vine of the Amazon region, aka ayahuasca > YAGES. |
| yagi | (Japanese) a type of shortwave antenna > YAGIS. |
| yags | (Pl.) YAG, a type of synthetic garnet containing yttrium and aluminium, used in lasers and as a gem. |
| yahs | (Pl.) YAH, an exclamation of derision. |
| yaks | (3rd.) YAK, to talk persistently. |
| yald | (Scots) active, nimble. No comp! Also YAULD. |
| yale | A fabulous heraldic beast > YALES. |
| yams | (Pl.) YAM, a large tuberous edible root like the potato, grown in tropical countries. |
| yang | (Chinese) a species of Thai timber tree > YANGS. |
| yank | To pull suddenly > YANKS, YANKING, YANKED. |
| yapp | A limp leather binding > YAPPS. [From Yapp, a bookseller]. |
| yaps | (3rd.) YAP, to bark sharply or constantly. |
| yard | (Verb) to enclose in a yard > YARDS, YARDING, YARDED. |
| yare | (Arch.) lively; manoeuvrable > YARER, YAREST; YARELY. Also YAR. |
| yark | (Dial.) to make ready > YARKS, YARKING, YARKED. |
| yarn | Spun thread; (verb) to tell tales > YARNS, YARNING, YARNED. |
| yarr | The corn spurrey > YARRS. |
| yate | (Spenser) a gate > YATES. |
| yaud | (Scots) a mare, jade > YAUDS. |
| yaup | To cry hoarsely > YAUPS, YAUPING, YAUPED. Also YAWP. |
| yawl | (Noun) a two-masted sailing vessel, rigged fore-and-aft, with a large mainmast and a small mizzenmast stepped aft of the rudderpost; (verb) to howl > YAWLS, YAWLING, YAWLED. |
| yawn | To open the mouth wide with a deep inhalation of air > YAWNS, YAWNING, YAWNED. |
| yawp | To cry hoarsely or harshly > YAWPS, YAWPING, YAWPED. Also YAUP. |
| yaws | A contagious skin disease resembling syphilis. |
| yawy | Pertaining to YAWS. No comp! Also YAWEY. |
| yays | (Pl.) YAY, an affirmative vote, a YEA. |
| ybet | (Obs.) pt. of BEAT. |
| yead | (Spenser) to go, proceed > YEADS, YEADING, YOD or YODE. Also YEED, YEDE. |
| yeah | Yes > YEAHS. |
| yean | Esp. of a sheep, to bring forth young > YEANS, YEANING, YEANED. Also EAN. |
| year | The time taken by the earth to orbit the sun > YEARS. |
| yeas | (Pl.) YEA, an affirmative vote. |
| yebo | (S. Afr.) yes, I agree. |
| yech | An exclamation expressing disgust; (noun) something disgusting > YECHS. Also YECCH, YUCH, YUK. |
| yede | (Spenser) to go, proceed > YEDES, YEDING, YOD or YODE. Also YEAD, YEED. |
| yeed | (Spenser) to go, proceed > YEEDS, YEEDING, YOD or YODE. Also YEAD, YEDE. |
| yegg | A criminal, esp. a safecracker or burglar > YEGGS. |
| yeld | Barren, not giving milk. |
| yelk | Yolk > YELKS. |
| yell | To cry out loudly > YELLS, YELLING, YELLED. |
| yelm | (Dial.) a bundle of straw laid straight for thatching; (verb) to straighten straw for thatching > YELMS, YELMING, YELMED. Also YEALM. |
| yelp | To utter a sharp, shrill cry > YELPS, YELPING, YELPED. |
| yelt | (Dial.) a young sow > YELTS. Also ELT. |
| yens | (3rd.) YEN, to desire, yearn for. |
| yeow | an interjection used to express pain or shock. |
| yeps | (Pl.) YEP, yes. |
| yerd | (Scots) to bury > YERDS, YERDING, YERDED. Also YIRD, YEARD, EARD. |
| yerk | To draw tight; to bind > YERKS, YERKING, YERKED. Also YIRK. |
| yesk | (Scots) to hiccup or belch > YESKS, YESKING, YESKED. Also YEX. |
| yest | (Obs.) yeast > YESTS. |
| yeti | (Tibetan) the Abominable Snowman > YETIS. |
| yett | (Scots) a gate, door > YETTS. Also YATE. |
| yeuk | (Dial.) to itch > YEUKS, YEUKING, YEUKED. Also YUCK, YOUK, EWK, YUKE, YUKE. |
| yeve | (Obs.) to give > YEVES, YEVING, YEVEN. |
| yews | (Pl.) YEW, any tree of the genus Taxus. |
| ygoe | (Spenser) pt. GO. |
| yike | An interjection expressing alarm; (verb) to quarrel, argue > YIKES, YIKING, YIKED. |
| yill | (Scots) ale > YILLS. |
| yins | (Pl.) YIN, one. |
| yipe | An interjection expressing fear or surprise. Also YIPES. |
| yips | (3rd.) YIP, to give a short cry. |
| yird | (Scots) to bury > YIRDS, YIRDING, YIRDED. Also EARD, YEARD, YIRTH. |
| yirk | To tie with a jerk > YIRKS, YIRKING, YIRKED. Also YERK. |
| yirr | To snarl > YIRRS, YIRRING, YIRRED. |
| yite | (Dial.) the yellow-hammer > YITES. |
| ylem | A form of matter hypothesized by proponents of the big bang theory to have existed before the formation of the chemical elements > YLEMS. |
| ylke | (Obs.) ilk > YLKES. |
| ympe | (Spenser) to imp > YMPES, YMPING, YMPT. |
| ympt | (Spenser) pt. YMPE, to imp. |
| yobs | (Pl.) YOB, a lout. |
| yock | To laugh > YOCKS, YOCKING, YOCKED. Also YOK. |
| yode | (Pt.) YEDE, to go, proceed. |
| yodh | (Hebrew) a Hebrew letter > YODHS. Also YOD. |
| yods | (Pl.) YOD, a Hebrew letter. |
| yoga | (Sanskrit) a system of Hindu philosophy > YOGAS. |
| yogh | The Middle English letter representing a velar or partial fricative > YOGHS. |
| yogi | (Sanskrit) one who practises yoga > YOGIS. Also YOGEE, YOGIN. |
| yoke | To fit with a yoke (a wooden frame for joining together draft animals) > YOKES, YOKING, YOKED. |
| yoks | (3rd.) YOK, to laugh. |
| yold | (Obs.) pt. of YIELD. |
| yolk | The yellow portion of an egg > YOLKS, YOLKED. |
| yomp | To march with heavy equipment over difficult terrain; to cover a certain distance in this way > YOMPS, YOMPING, YOMPED. |
| yond | Yonder, over there. Also YONT. |
| yoni | (Sanskrit) a representation of the female genitals > YONIS. |
| yont | Yonder, over there. Also YOND. |
| yoof | Youth, young people > YOOFS. |
| yoop | An interjection representing a sobbing sound > YOOPS. |
| yore | Long ago; (noun) a long time ago > YORES. |
| york | To bowl a batsman with a YORKER > YORKS, YORKING, YORKED. |
| yorp | (Dial.) to shout > YORPS, YORPING, YORPED. |
| youk | (Dial.) to itch > YOUKS, YOUKING, YOUKED. Also YUCK, YUKE, EWK, EUK, YEUK. |
| your | A possessive form of the pronoun you. |
| yous | (Coll.) YOU when addressing more than one person. |
| yowe | (Scots) ewe > YOWES. Also YOW. |
| yowl | To howl, esp. of a wolf > YOWLS, YOWLING, YOWLED. |
| yows | (Pl.) YOW, a ewe. |
| yuan | (Chinese) a Chinese monetary unit > YUANS. |
| yuca | (Carib) any plant of the genus Yucca of plants of the family Liliaceae, native to Mexico > YUCAS. Also YUCCA. |
| yuch | An interjection expressing disgust. Also YECH, YECCH, YUK. |
| yuck | (Dial.) to itch > YUCKS, YUCKING, YUCKED. Also YUKE, YOUK, EWK, EUK, YEUK. |
| yuft | (Russian) a kind of Russian leather > YUFTS. |
| yuga | (Sanskrit) one of the four Hindu ages of the world > YUGAS. Also YUG. |
| yugs | (Pl.) YUG, one of the four Hindu ages of the world. |
| yuke | (Dial.) to itch > YUKES, YUKING, YUKED. Also YUCK, YOUK, EWK, EUK, YEUK. |
| yuko | (Japanese) in judo, a points penalty > YUKOS. |
| yuks | (3rd.) YUK, an interjection expressing disgust. |
| yuky | Itchy > YUKIER, YUKIEST. Also YUCKY. |
| yule | Christmas or Christmastide; the feast of the Nativity of our Savior > YULES. |
| yump | In rally-driving, to leave the ground when going over a ridge or crest > YUMPS, YUMPING, YUMPED. |
| yunx | (Lat.) the wryneck > YUNXES. [L. iynx, from Gk. iynx or iynx]. Also JYNX. |
| yups | (Pl.) YUP, yes. |
| yurt | (Russian) a Mongolian tent made of felt > YURTS or YURTA. Also YOURT. |
| yutz | (Yiddish) a socially inept person > YUTZES. |
| yuzu | (Japanese) a type of citrus fruit > YUZUS. |
| ywis | (Arch.) certainly. [From I wis, i.e. I know]. Also IWIS. |
| zack | (Aust. slang) sixpence, now a five-cent piece > ZACKS. |
| zags | (3rd.) ZAG, to change direction on a zig-zag course. |
| zany | (Noun) a clown; (adj.) comical > ZANIER, ZANIEST; ZANILY; (verb) to play the zany to > ZANIES, ZANYING, ZANIED. [Ital. zanni, a nickname for Giovanni]. |
| zaps | (3rd.) ZAP, to destroy. |
| zarf | (Arabic) an ornamental metal holder for a handleless coffee cup > ZARFS. Also ZURF. |
| zari | (Urdu) a type of thread made of fine gold or silver wire used in traditional Indian and Pakistani garments > ZARIS. |
| zati | The bonnet-monkey > ZATIS. |
| zeal | Enthusiastic devotion > ZEALS. |
| zeas | (Pl.) ZEA, part of a cereal plant, once used as a diuretic. |
| zebu | (Fr.) a humped domestic ox > ZEBUS. |
| zeda | (Yiddish) a grandfather > ZEDAS. |
| zeds | (Pl.) ZED, the letter Z. |
| zees | (Pl.) ZEE, the letter Z. |
| zein | A protein found in Indian corn > ZEINS. |
| zeks | (Pl.) ZEK, an inmate of a Russian prison-camp. |
| zels | (Pl.) ZEL, an Oriental cymbal. |
| zens | (Pl.) ZEN, a state of calm attentiveness. |
| zeps | (Pl.) ZEP, a long sandwich. |
| zerk | A fitting on a bearing, axle, etc., by which lubricant can be introduced under pressure > ZERKS. |
| zero | (Fr.) the sign for nothing > ZEROS or ZEROES; (verb) to set at or adjust to zero > ZEROS, ZEROING, ZEROED. |
| zest | (Verb) to give zest to > ZESTS, ZESTING, ZESTED. |
| zeta | (Greek) a Greek letter > ZETAS. |
| zeze | (Bantu) a stringed musical instrument of Africa > ZEZES. |
| zhos | (Pl.) ZHO, a kind of yak. |
| ziff | (Aust. sl.) a beard, a goatee > ZIFFS. |
| zigs | (3rd.) ZIG, to change direction on a zig-zag course. |
| zila | (Hindi) an administrative district in India > ZILAS. Also ZILLAH, ZILLA. |
| zill | One of a pair of finger cymbals > ZILLS. |
| zimb | (Amharic) an Ethiopian dipterous insect > ZIMBS. [Amharic, a fly]. Also ZEBUB. |
| zinc | (Verb) to coat with zinc > ZINCS, ZINCING or ZINCKING, ZINCED or ZINCKED. |
| zine | (Sl.) a specialist magazine > ZINES. |
| zing | To move very swiftly, esp. with a high-pitched hum > ZINGS, ZINGING, ZINGED. |
| zins | (Pl.) ZIN, a type of wine. |
| zips | (3rd.) ZIP, to fasten with a zip. |
| zite | (Ital.) a type of pasta like large macaroni. No -S. Also ZITI. |
| ziti | (Ital.) a type of pasta like large macaroni > ZITIS. N.B. is really a plural, but does take an -S, unlike ZITE. Also ZITE. |
| zits | (Pl.) ZIT, a pimple. |
| zizz | A snooze, sleep; (verb) to snooze > ZIZZES, ZIZZING, ZIZZED. |
| zobo | (Tibetan) a male ZO > ZOBOS. Also DSOBO, ZOBU. |
| zobu | (Tibetan) a male ZO > ZOBUS. Also DSOBO, ZOBO. |
| zoea | (Lat.) a larval stage in certain crustaceans, esp. decapods > ZOEAE or ZOEAS. Also ZOOEA. |
| zoic | Pertaining to animals; containing evidence of life. |
| zols | (Pl.) ZOL, a cannabis cigarette. |
| zona | (Lat.) a girdle or belt; a zone > ZONAE. |
| zone | (Verb) to divide into zones > ZONES, ZONING, ZONED. |
| zonk | To exhaust > ZONKS, ZONKING, ZONKED. |
| zoom | To move with a loud humming sound > ZOOMS, ZOOMING, ZOOMED. |
| zoon | An animal which is the sole product of a single egg, as opposed to ZOOID > ZOONS or ZOA; (verb) to zoom > ZOONS, ZOONING, ZOONED. |
| zoos | (Pl.) ZOO, a garden or park where animals are kept. |
| zoot | As in zoot suit, a man's suit consisting of baggy trousers with tapered bottoms and a long jacket with wide padded shoulders. |
| zori | (Japanese) a Japanese sandal consisting of a flat sole with a thong between the toes > ZORIS. |
| zouk | A style of Caribbean dance music > ZOUKS. |
| zulu | A type of two-masted fishing vessel formerly used in Scotland > ZULUS. |
| zupa | (Serbian) in early Serbia, a confederation of villages, governed by a ZUPAN > ZUPAS. |
| zurf | (Arabic) an ornamental metal holder for a handleless coffee cup > ZURFS. Also ZARF. |
| zyga | (Pl.) ZYGON, a fissure in the brain. |
| zyme | A ferment; a disease germ > ZYMES. |
| zzzs | An informal noun meaning sleep: to catch a few ZZZS. |