EtymologyEdit
Perhaps derived from
yoicks, a hunting call used to urge hounds after a fox, which is attested from 1765-1775, that also is sometimes used as an exclamation of excitement or triumph.
Yoicks is perhaps related to the earlier
hoicks.
Hoicks(alternatively
hoick,
hoic or
hoik) is a variant of
hyke, which was used as an exclamation of encouragement to hounds hunting deer. Further etymology unknown.
[1]
Alternatively, it may be derived from
yipes, which is an earlier exclamation of similar usage as yikes (and is often considered to be an alternative form of yikes).
Yipes may be derived from
yipe, which itself may be derived from the
yiesound often used to express pain or dismay, with the
-p adding onto it in the same way as
yep and
nope. Or,
yipes may be derived from the
yipping sound that dogs make.