Yippee is an exclamation of pure joy and excitement that bursts out when something wonderful happens. When you find out school is canceled because of snow, or you score the winning goal, or you discover an extra cookie in your lunchbox, yippee! might be exactly what you shout.

The word captures that bouncing, can't-hold-it-in feeling of delight. It sounds like what it means: energetic, playful, and completely unrestrained. Cowboys in old Western movies hollered yippee while riding their horses, and kids today still use it when they're thrilled about something.

Unlike calmer words such as “nice” or “good,” yippee explodes with enthusiasm. You wouldn't whisper it or say it in a tired voice. It's meant to be shouted, usually with a big smile or a jump in the air.