yellow jacket
Americannoun
-
any of several paper wasps of the family Vespidae, having black and bright yellow bands.
-
Slang. a yellow capsule of phenobarbital.
noun
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.
“Roger,” another said as a crew member, wearing a helmet and an orange and yellow jacket, held on to a cable and jumped out of the helicopter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2025
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
Brooks, however, did appear at a public event Jan. 6, speaking at Trump’s event at the Ellipse near the White House with body armor underneath his black and yellow jacket.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 26, 2022
Most of them showed people in front of a window; the Geographer’s rug appeared in many of the paintings, and the same yellow jacket turned up in a number of places.
From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
