interjection of pleasure, exultation, etc., by 1902; perhaps an extension and modification of hip (interj.).
Entries linking to yippee
hip interj.
exclamation used to introduce a united cheer (as in hip-hip-hurrah), 1827, earlier hep; compare German hepp, to animals a cry to attack game, to mobs a cry to attack Jews (see hep (2)); perhaps a natural sound (such as Latin eho, heus).