1670s, from Carib yaya, the native name for the disease.
"to fall away from the line of a course," 1540s, from Old Norse jaga, Old Danish jæge "to drive, chase," from Middle Low German jagen (see yacht).
yaws (yôz)
n.
An infectious tropical disease caused by Treponema pertenue, characterized by the development of crusted granulomatous ulcers on the extremities that may cause bone and joint destruction in later stages of the disease. Also called boubas, bubas, frambesia, granuloma tropicum, pian, rupia.