jack-o'-lantern
noun
jack-o'-lan·tern
ˈja-kə-ˌlan-tərn 
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
Grab your friends and make a day out of creating an entire pumpkin village, or add a little excitement to your porch display by hiding a couple of fairy cottages among the rest of your jack-o'-lanterns.
—
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025
The Amber Alert described 1-year-old Fargis as being last seen wearing an orange Halloween shirt with a white ghost on the front and black tights featuring jack-o'-lanterns, lollipops, and worms.
—Jenna Sundel
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
The bright orange bucket, sporting Home Depot's logo, features jack-o'-lanterns, bats, ghosts, spiders and spiderwebs.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Think: table top ghosts, wall signs, and jack-o'-lanterns galore.
—Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Everyone needs a classic jack-o'-lantern (or a few) to bring a warm, festive glow to their home.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2025
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
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Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025
The Amber Alert described 1-year-old Fargis as being last seen wearing an orange Halloween shirt with a white ghost on the front and black tights featuring jack-o'-lanterns, lollipops, and worms.
—Jenna Sundel
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
The bright orange bucket, sporting Home Depot's logo, features jack-o'-lanterns, bats, ghosts, spiders and spiderwebs.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Think: table top ghosts, wall signs, and jack-o'-lanterns galore.
—Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Everyone needs a classic jack-o'-lantern (or a few) to bring a warm, festive glow to their home.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Jack-o'-lantern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jack-o%27-lantern. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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