What is "yikes"

exclamation of alarm or surprise, by 1953; perhaps from yoicks, a call in fox-hunting, attested from c.1770. Yike "a fight" is slang attested from 1940, of uncertain connection.

interj. 1 (context humorous slang English) (non-gloss definition: Expressing fear.) 2 (context humorous slang English) (non-gloss definition: Expressing empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.)