yes

UK: /ˈjɛs/ US: /jɛs/ ,(yes)

Inflections of 'yes' (n): npl: yeses

Inflections of 'yes' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

yeses

v 3rd person singular

yessing

v pres p

yessed

v past

yessed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

yes /yɛs/   adv., n., pl. yes•es. 
adv. 

1. (used to express agreement with, or emphasis on, a previous statement, or to show willingness to comply with a previous request:
   Do you want that? Yes, I do. Could you bring us some water? Yes, in just a minute.
2. (used to express disagreement with a negative statement or command):
   You can't do that! Oh yes I can!
3. (used as if it were a question, as to express uncertainty, curiosity, etc.):
   "Yes?'' he said after the police officer called his name.
4. (used, usually in a gently questioning way, to express polite interest or attention, as to invite the other participant in a conversation to continue).

n. [countable]

5. an affirmative reply or vote.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

yes (yes),  adv., n., pl. yes•es, v., yessed, yes•sing, interj. 

adv. 

1. (used to express affirmation or assent or to mark the addition of something emphasizing and amplifying a previous statement):
   Do you want that? Yes, I do.
2. (used to express an emphatic contradiction of a previously negative statement or command):
   Don't do that! Oh, yes I will!
3. (used, usually interrogatively, to express hesitation, uncertainty, curiosity, etc.):
   "Yes?'' he said as he opened the door. That was a marvelous show! Yes?
4. (used to express polite or minimal interest or attention.)

n. 

5. an affirmative reply.

v.t. 

6. to give an affirmative reply to;
   give assent or approval to.

interj. 

7. (used as a strong expression of joy, pleasure, or approval.)

• Middle English yes, yis, Old English gēse (adverb, adverbial and noun, nominal), probably equivalent. to gēa yea + sī be it (present subjunctive singular of bēon to be) bef. 900

yes, +interj. 

1. (used as a strong expression of joy, pleasure, or approval.)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

yes / jɛs/ sentence_substitute

1. used to express acknowledgment, affirmation, consent, agreement, or approval or to answer when one is addressed
2. used, often with interrogative intonation, to signal someone to speak or keep speaking, enter a room, or do something

noun

1. an answer or vote of yes
2. (often plural) a person who votes in the affirmative

Compare no1Etymology: Old English gēse, from iā sīe may it be; see yea