Yankee

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
Yankee/ˈjaŋki/

▶noun informal

• 1 often derogatory an American.

• 2 US an inhabitant of New England or one of the northern states.

  ■ historical a Federal soldier in the Civil War.

• 3 a bet on four or more horses to win (or be placed) in different races.

• 4 (also Yankee jib) Sailing a large jib set forward of a staysail in light winds.

• 5 used in radio communication as a code word representing the letter Y.

– origin C18: origin uncertain; recorded in the late 17th cent. as a nickname; perh. from Du. Janke, dimin. of Jan ‘John’.