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yellow jacket

American  

noun

  1. any of several paper wasps of the family Vespidae, having black and bright yellow bands.

  2. Slang. a yellow capsule of phenobarbital.


yellow jacket British  

noun

  1. any of several social wasps of the genus Vespa, having yellow markings on the body

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of yellow jacket

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

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 Academy luncheon was no different, with Eilish turning heads thanks to her casual bandana, yellow jacket and tartan trousers which matched the outfit of her brother Finneas.

From BBC Feb. 13, 2024

"We are being told that the rescue mission will be completed soon but it has been five days," Negi, 18, who wore a torn yellow jacket, told Reuters on Thursday.

From Reuters Nov. 16, 2023

I just love his courage — the orange pants, yellow jacket, the boots.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 5, 2023

Q: When I was a kid, I was stung by a yellow jacket on a camping trip.

From Seattle Times May 24, 2023

Calder and Petra found three other paintings of the woman in the yellow jacket.

From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett

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