Yak
/jæk/noun
A long-haired bovine of the Tibetan Plateau, or to talk at length in a noisy, aimless way.
Did you know?The English animal name was borrowed from Tibetan གཡག་ (g.yag), while the talkative verb yak is a separate, much later slang word with no connection to the beast.
Etymological Timeline
Tibetan
Tibetan
g.yag
“the domestic Himalayan ox-like animal”
19th Century
English
yak
“borrowed name for the shaggy Tibetan bovine”
20th Century
English
yak
“slang verb meaning to chatter or talk at length”
Modern English
English
yak
“the animal name and the separate verb for noisy talk”