jack-o'-lantern
JAK-uh-lan-tern
/ˈdʒæk.əˌlæn.tɚn/
A hollowed-out pumpkin carved with a face and illuminated by a candle inside, traditionally made at Halloween.
Refers specifically to decorative carved squashes, originating from Irish folk traditions of carving turnips to ward off evil spirits.
The story behind the word. The term originally referred to a 'jack with a lantern'—a night watchman or a mysterious light over marshes (will-o'-the-wisp). In Irish myth, Stingy Jack tricked the devil and was doomed to wander the earth with only a carved turnip lit by a burning coal. When Irish immigrants arrived in North America, they discovered native pumpkins, which were far easier to carve into traditional jack-o'-lanterns.
Word relationships
- carved pumpkin: A literal description lacking the specific folk connotation and seasonal tradition implied by jack-o'-lantern.
Commonly confused with
- lantern: A general lantern is a portable lamp; a jack-o'-lantern specifically involves a carved pumpkin with a face.
Word family
- jack-o'-lanterns (noun): Plural form of jack-o'-lantern.
Collocations
- carve a jack-o'-lantern
- flickering jack-o'-lantern
- glowing jack-o'-lantern
Example sentences
- "Every October, families gather on the porch to carve grinning faces into their pumpkin, turning it into a bright jack-o'-lantern." Halloween Traditions
- "Its glowing teeth flickered through the dark autumn night like an ancient jack-o'-lantern sitting on a fence post." Literary Description
Memory hook
Jack puts a lantern inside a pumpkin to light up the dark Halloween night. Jack's glowing pumpkin light.
When not to use
Do not use to describe generic light fixtures or lanterns not crafted from carved pumpkins or gourds.
Fun facts
- The largest jack-o'-lantern ever carved weighed over 2,000 pounds.
- Original jack-o'-lanterns in Ireland and Scotland were carved from turnips and potatoes, not pumpkins.
Related words
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