jack-o'-lantern

noun

jack-o'-lan·​tern ˈja-kə-ˌlan-tərn How to pronounce jack-o'-lantern (audio)
1
: a lantern made of a pumpkin usually cut to resemble a human face
2
: any of several large orangish gill fungi (genus Omphalotus) that are poisonous and luminescent
3

Examples of jack-o'-lantern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Black tables were decked out with confetti and goodie bags with jack-o'-lantern designs on them. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024 The big picture: The city's Solid Waste Management Department will accept rotten jack-o'-lantern carcasses and other pumpkin remnants today through Dec. 6 — a longer window than in past years. Shafaq Patel, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024 The talking jack-o'-lanterns are great for younger kids and can even be projected onto real pumpkins. Simon Hill, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024 Another clip featured Kardashian Barker and her husband Travis Barker, 48, taking a photo of a jack-o'-lantern decorated with their faces and names alongside another a tiny pumpkin dedicated to their son, Rocky Thirteen, who turns 1 on Nov. 1. Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024 Here's the nutritional breakdown on your would-be jack-o'-lantern. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024 Simba the cat had to work hard for treats from a Halloween jack-o'-lantern. Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024 This diverse group of varieties comes from the same species line as the modern jack-o'-lantern, Cucurbita pepo (which also, oddly, includes zucchini). Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 18 Oct. 2024 Place various sizes of pumpkins around your home and place carved jack-o'-lanterns by your front door to get the classic '90s look. Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of jack-o'-lantern was in 1667

Dictionary Entries Near jack-o'-lantern

Cite this Entry

“Jack-o'-lantern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jack-o%27-lantern. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

jack-o'-lantern

noun
jack-o'-lan·​tern
ˈjak-ə-ˌlant-ərn
: a lantern made of a pumpkin usually cut to look like a face

More from Merriam-Webster on jack-o'-lantern

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!