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Although yen suggests no more than a strong desire these days (as in “a yen for a beach vacation”), at one time someone with a yen was in deep trouble: the first meaning of yen, used in the late 19th century, was an intense craving for opium. The word comes from yīn-yáhn, a combination of yīn, meaning “opium,” and yáhn, “craving,” in the Chinese language used in the province of Guangdong. In English, the Chinese syllables were translated as yen-yen, and eventually shortened to yen.
Synonyms of yen
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Noun (2)
Verb
Examples of yen in a Sentence
Noun (2)
I have a strange yen to take the day off from work
Verb
what car lover doesn't yen for a new car at the start of every model year
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 Dec. 2025
Signals around the neutral, or terminal, rate — one that balances inflation and economic growth — and comments on yen weakness will be some of the things to look out for.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2025
Cameron is at his best as a filmmaker with a yen for big stories told with sweeping broad strokes rather than delicate ones.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Dec. 2025
That makes borrowing yen less affordable, eating into the profitability of the carry trade.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yen
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Noun
At the time of writing, ticket prices are around 6,800 yen ($43) for adults and 3,000 yen ($19) for children aged 4 to 11 years.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 Dec. 2025
Signals around the neutral, or terminal, rate — one that balances inflation and economic growth — and comments on yen weakness will be some of the things to look out for.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2025
Cameron is at his best as a filmmaker with a yen for big stories told with sweeping broad strokes rather than delicate ones.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Dec. 2025
That makes borrowing yen less affordable, eating into the profitability of the carry trade.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yen
Cite this Entry
“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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