# Did "Yoink!" originate on The Simpsons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-yoink-originate-on-the-simpsons/368319 "2006-08-11T18:18:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-yoink-originate-on-the-simpsons/368319/1 "2006-08-11T18:18:44Z")
You know, whenever Snake takes something from somebody. Did this expression exist pre-Simpsons? If not, can anybody tell me in which Simpsons episode it first appeared? I wasn’t sure whether this was GQ or CS material, please move if it is inappropriate here. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-yoink-originate-on-the-simpsons/368319/2 "2006-08-11T18:21:32Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > You know, whenever Snake takes something from somebody. Did this expression exist pre-Simpsons? If not, can anybody tell me in which Simpsons episode it first appeared? > > I wasn’t sure whether this was GQ or CS material, please move if it is inappropriate here. I don’t know the answer to the question. I do know, however, that my 17 month old probably thinks “Thank You” means “Yoink.” -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-yoink-originate-on-the-simpsons/368319/3 "2006-08-11T19:58:43Z")
According to Wikipeda ([The Simpsons - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made-up_words_in_The_Simpsons#Y)) it was first said in episode 16, season 4. According to my brain, however, it was a pale imitation of the ‘Zoinks!’ uttered by Shaggy in nearly every episode of Scooby-Doo. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-yoink-originate-on-the-simpsons/368319/4 "2006-08-11T20:51:04Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > According to Wikipeda ([The Simpsons - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made-up_words_in_The_Simpsons#Y)) it was first said in episode 16, season 4. According to my brain, however, it was a pale imitation of the ‘Zoinks!’ uttered by Shaggy in nearly every episode of Scooby-Doo. But zoinks means yikes, while yoink means I’m taking this without your permission, right? If that’s right, then I doubt the latter is an imitation of the former. But I haven’t seen scooby doo since probably more than 15 years ago so I may be remembering the meaning of zoinks incorrectly. -Kris ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-yoink-originate-on-the-simpsons/368319/5 "2006-08-11T20:51:50Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > According to Wikipeda ([The Simpsons - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made-up_words_in_The_Simpsons#Y)) it was first said in episode 16, season 4. According to my brain, however, it was a pale imitation of the ‘Zoinks!’ uttered by Shaggy in nearly every episode of Scooby-Doo. Well, I’ll be. Linked to from the Wikipedia article, [this site](http://www.snpp.com/guides/yoinks.html) has a yoink list. Unfortunately, it’s rather out of date, but there are only 3 occurrances on there of Snake using the expression. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-yoink-originate-on-the-simpsons/368319/6 "2006-08-11T23:30:59Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > According to Wikipeda ([The Simpsons - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made-up_words_in_The_Simpsons#Y)) it was first said in episode 16, season 4. I’ll have to go back and check, but I’m pretty sure it’s said in the “Tomacco” episode (actual title E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)) by the high-powered executive woman (she creates synergy) as she grabs the last tomacco plant Homer throws away. That may not be the first usage, but it was in season 11, which makes the Wikipedia reference suspect.