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Nov 1, 2013 · The OED says the origin of yonks is unknown and has it from 1968 in the Daily Mail: I rang singer Julie Driscoll... She said: ‘I haven't heard from you for yonks.’. The Shorter Slang Dictionary (Partridge, Beale, Fergusson, 1994) agrees it's from the 1960s and suggests:
Jan 18, 2024 · This fascinating phrase, often used to signify a long period of time, has a history that traverses through the rich tapestry of British vernacular. Yonks, derived from “donkey’s years,” is believed to have emerged in the late 19th or early 20th century, originating from Cockney rhyming slang.
Apr 3, 2020 · This is the music history counterpart of The Big List of Music Theory Terms and Definitions, so if you’re struggling with music theory terms also I suggest checking that one out too! Like the music theory list, this post will be pretty overwhelming if you try to read it all at once.
Nov 16, 2002 · A few reference books suggest instead that it might be from donkey’s years, also meaning a long time. This sounds quite daft on first hearing, but if you think about it, you can see how the onk of donkey might just have been prefixed by the y of years, perhaps as conscious or unconscious back slang.
Jan 9, 2024 · Some examples of modern-day British slang terms include: “No cap” – Meaning ‘for real’ or ‘no lie’ – something that is genuine. “Drip” – In previous generations, this was a negative word used to describe someone as unattractive or boring.
British slang that was noted as a neologism in the late 1960s. It seems to be the result of some process applied to the word "years" -- u/eclectic-radish 's suggestion of influence from "donkey's years" seems a plausible one. An early citation from 1975 has:
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Yonks Origin and History - British slang for a very long time dates from the 1960s, perhaps derived from donkey’s years. Yonks Meanings and origins of thousands of idioms, curious words, and slang.
