Yawp
/jɔːp/noun
A loud, harsh, or raucous cry; also, to make such a cry.
Did you know?Walt Whitman helped immortalize “yawp” in *Song of Myself*, where he celebrated a “barbaric yawp” as a primal declaration of identity and freedom.
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
English
yawp / yaup
“A dialectal or colloquial word for making a loud, harsh cry; probably formed through sound imitation.”
1720s
English
yawp
“Recorded as a verb meaning to yelp, squawk, or cry noisily.”
19th Century
English
yawp
“Used increasingly as a noun for a loud, raucous cry.”
1855
English
barbaric yawp
“Walt Whitman’s memorable phrase in *Song of Myself*, presenting the cry as a primal expression of the self.”
Modern English
English
yawp
“A loud, rough cry or an unrestrained, often coarse expression; also used as a verb.”