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
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
Another clip featured Kardashian Barker and her husband Travis Barker, 48, taking a photo of a jack-o'-lantern decorated with their faces and names alongside another a tiny pumpkin dedicated to their son, Rocky Thirteen, who turns 1 on Nov. 1.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 24 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
Another clip featured Kardashian Barker and her husband Travis Barker, 48, taking a photo of a jack-o'-lantern decorated with their faces and names alongside another a tiny pumpkin dedicated to their son, Rocky Thirteen, who turns 1 on Nov. 1.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 24 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 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share