jack-o'-lantern
Americannoun
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jack-o'-lanterns
plural
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a hollowed pumpkin with openings cut to represent human eyes, nose, and mouth and in which a candle or other light may be placed, traditionally made for display at Halloween.
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a commercially made lantern resembling this.
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any phenomenon of light, as a corona discharge or an ignis fatuus.
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a poisonous luminescent orange fungus, Omphalotus olearius, often found in clusters at the base of hardwood tree stumps.
noun
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a lantern made from a hollowed pumpkin, which has holes cut in it to represent a human face
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a will-o'-the-wisp or similar phenomenon
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of jack-o'-lantern
First recorded in 1655–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The lawsuit focused primarily on Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins, whose packaging depicts the seasonal candy with a carved jack-o’-lantern face.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
“I’m David Pumpkins,” Hanks — dressed in a jack-o'-lantern suit — announced to cheers from the crowd.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2022
Rain falling on your jack-o’-lantern will invite every mold in the neighborhood to take up residency in or on it.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 19, 2022
He took a pink plastic jack-o’-lantern — bought years ago at 90% off — and turned the face around, then added a cheap flickering lightbulb and rope cord from Amazon to make a ceiling lamp.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2022
Dimly lit by a distant streetlight, two flashlights, and a jack-o’-lantern, it was almost too fascinating to bear.
From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
That farm grows pumpkins on 500 acres, mostly for decorations like jack-o’-lanterns.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
I had gotten up early on that Saturday to hang orange streamers and balloons shaped like jack-o’-lanterns and black cats from my apartment walls.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 29, 2022
Their use in altars and general decorations is becoming as much a part of the fall landscape in Southern California and beyond as jack-o’-lanterns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2022
We don't typically associate the two: Zonkey is the term for a rarely-seen zebra-donkey hybrid, while pumpkins are associated with Halloween jack-o'-lanterns, delicious desserts and trendy beverages.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2022
The mirror stood between the piles, tied with a blue ribbon, reflecting the orange flicker of the jack-o’-lanterns.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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