Meaning & use

jack-o'-lantern

noun·Everyday

A carved pumpkin or turnip with a face, often lit from inside, used as a Halloween decoration.

See it in a sentence

The children carved a grinning jack-o'-lantern and set it on the porch steps.

A candle flickered inside the jack-o'-lantern, casting eerie shadows on the wall.

A note on using this word

Traditionally carved from turnips in Ireland before pumpkins became the common choice in America.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “jack-o'-lantern”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.