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

Removing these inviting shelters and closing up entrance points to your home will make your space less likely to attract yellow jackets and other communal wasps. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Apr. 2026

Cover Trash Trash cans must be tightly sealed to prevent gnats from gaining access, along with other pests like house flies and yellow jackets. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026

Workers in luminous yellow jackets sat on bare concrete slabs during games, occasionally fetching footballs that flew through the uprights and bounced around. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 Mar. 2026

Depending on how many yellow jackets are around, the trap can fill quickly. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for yellow jacket

• bracket
• packet
• racket
• racquet
• straitjacket

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