Americans (5)
'americans' is the definition.
(Yankee can informally mean an American)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for yankees that I've seen before include "Americans or northern states during civil war" , "US Civil War soldiers" , "Americans (sl.)" , "Americans who fought for the north in civil war" , "Northern soldiers in the American Civil War" .)
'americans' is the definition.
(Yank can informally mean someone from the US)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for yanks that I've seen before include "Physical jerks" , "Pulls sharply" , "Tugs" , "Americans; pulls" .)