yellow jacket

noun

plural yellow jackets

1

or yellowjacket

ˈye-lō-ˌja-kət 

ˈye-lə-

plural yellowjackets : any of various small vespid wasps (genus Vespula and Dolichovespula) typically with abdomens marked with yellow and black that build nests in the ground or less commonly in aerial locations (such as the eaves of buildings), that usually reach a length of up to .5 inches (1.3 centimeters), and that can sting repeatedly and painfully

2

slang : pentobarbital especially in a yellow capsule

—usually used in plural

Examples of yellow jacket in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, yellow jackets are actually beneficial insects in our gardens. —Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2024

When the two officers try to put a man in a yellow jacket under arrest, they’re suddenly attacked by multiple people from all sides. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2024

What's the difference between yellow jackets and wasps? —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 16 Aug. 2024

When Bret Davis was a child, a swarm of subterranean yellow jackets attacked him, and the pain from those burning-hot stings stayed with him long after the swelling went down. —Jason Nark, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

yellow jacket

noun

: any of various small social wasps with yellow markings that commonly nest in the ground and can sting repeatedly and painfully

Medical Definition

yellow jacket

noun

1

or yellowjacket

ˈyel-ō-ˌjak-ət 

: any of various small, social wasps (genus Vespula and Dolichovespula of the family Vespidae) typically with abdomens marked with yellow and black that build nests in the ground or less commonly in aerial locations (as the eaves of buildings), that aggressively defend their nests, and that can sting repeatedly and painfully

2

slang : pentobarbital especially in a yellow capsule

—usually used in plural