yon
That one over there, farther off than "that."
Also called yan, yonder.
Updated September 24, 2026
yon pronunciation
/YAHN/
Meaning
Old pointing word still alive in mountain talk. This is close. That is a little farther. Yon is the one way out yonder. Can work as adjective ("yon ridge") or pronoun ("yon's the barn"). Sister forms yan and yonder cover the same distant ground. Useful when you're pointing across a hollow and "that" feels too close.
How folks use it
- “See yon oak on the hill? Lightning took the top out.”
- “Hand me yon hammer by the door.”
Origin and etymology
From Old English and Middle English yond/yon, "at a distance." Standard English mostly dropped it; poetic and rural talk kept it. Smoky Mountain English still uses yon/yan beside this and that as a three-way distance system. Yonder is the better-known cousin.
Frequently asked questions
Is yon the same as yonder?
Close kin. Yon often points at a thing ("yon tree"). Yonder more often means "over there."