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
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
How to get a nutritional boost from your jack-o'-lantern.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 13 June 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
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
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Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2025
How to get a nutritional boost from your jack-o'-lantern.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 13 June 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
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
Cite this Entry
“Jack-o'-lantern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jack-o%27-lantern. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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