Meanings
plural jack-o'-lanterns · alternative jack-o-lantern · alternative jack o'lantern · alternative Jack O'Lantern
- A carved pumpkin whose top and stem have been cut out and interior removed, leaving a hollow shell that is then decorated to represent a face, illuminated from within by a candle. It is a symbol of Halloween.First known use 1830s
He had a jocose jack-o'-lantern grin, big crooked nicotine-stained teeth, and a full droopy dark moustache and wiry whiskers hiding a weak chin. (attributive use)
2001, Joyce Carol Oates, Middle Age: A Romance, paperback edition, page 218- A similar item made from a turnip.
- archaicA will o' the wisp.First known use 1660s
[Newspaper speculations] supplying so many more jack-o'-lanterns to the future historian
1871, James Russell Lowell, “My Study Windows”, in My Garden AcquaintanceSynonyms: ignis fatuus, hinkypunk, Joan the wad, hobby lantern, peg-a-lantern, Will the Smith, Pinket, Will o' the Wikes
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA will o' the wisp.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Originally, a night watchman who carried a lantern (originally made from a turnip; see neep lantern). See Jack. First attested as a term for ignis fatuus in English folklore in the 1660s, mostly in East Anglia but also in southwestern England. The sense of a carved pumpkin (sense 1) is first attested in 1834.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic قرعة مضيئة
- قرعة مضيئةcarved pumpkin
Bulgarian ти́квен фене́р
- ти́квен фене́р (tíkven fenér)carved pumpkin
Chinese Mandarin 南瓜燈 /南瓜灯, 傑克南瓜燈 /杰克南瓜灯
- 南瓜燈 /南瓜灯 (nánguādēng)carved pumpkin
- 傑克南瓜燈 /杰克南瓜灯 (jiékè-nánguādēng)carved pumpkin
Danish græskarhoved
- græskarhovedcarved pumpkin
Dutch jack-o'-lantern
- jack-o'-lanterncarved pumpkin
Estonian kõrvitslatern
- kõrvitslaterncarved pumpkin
Finnish kurpitsalyhty
- kurpitsalyhtycarved pumpkin
French citrouille d'Halloween, citrouille-lanterne
- citrouille d'Halloweencarved pumpkin
- citrouille-lanternecarved pumpkin
- Jack-o’-lanterncarved pumpkin
- lanterne-citrouillecarved pumpkin
German Halloween-Kürbis, Jack mit der Laterne
- Halloween-Kürbiscarved pumpkin
- Jack mit der Laternecarved pumpkin
- Jack O’Lanterncarved pumpkin
Greek τζακ ο’ λάντερν
- τζακ ο’ λάντερν (tzak o’ lántern)carved pumpkin
Hebrew ג׳ק־או־לנטרן
- ג׳ק־או־לנטרןcarved pumpkin
Hungarian töklámpás
- töklámpáscarved pumpkin
Indonesian lentera labu
- lentera labucarved pumpkin
Irish Seán na gealaí
- Seán na gealaícarved pumpkin
Italian zucca di Halloween, Jack-o'-lantern
- zucca di Halloweencarved pumpkin
- Jack-o'-lanterncarved pumpkin
- Jack della lanternacarved pumpkin
- lanterna di zuccacarved pumpkin
Japanese ジャックオランタン
- ジャックオランタン (jakku-o-rantan)carved pumpkin
Korean 잭오랜턴, 호박등
- 잭오랜턴 (jaeg-o-raenteon)carved pumpkin
- 호박등 (hobakdeung)carved pumpkin
Malay tanglung labu
- tanglung labucarved pumpkin
Polish latarnia z dyni
- latarnia z dynicarved pumpkin
Portuguese coca
- cocacarved pumpkin
Russian Светильник Джек, фонарь из тыквы
- Светильник Джек (Svetilʹnik Džek)carved pumpkin
- фонарь из тыквы (fonarʹ iz tykvy)carved pumpkin
Spanish calabaza de Halloween, calabaza
- calabaza de Halloweencarved pumpkin
- calabazacarved pumpkin
Thai แจ็กโอแลนเทิร์น
- แจ็กโอแลนเทิร์นcarved pumpkin
Ukrainian Ліхтар Джека, світи́льник Дже́ка
- Ліхтар Джека (Lixtar Džeka)carved pumpkin
- світи́льник Дже́ка (svitýlʹnyk Džéka)carved pumpkin
Welsh jac lantar
- jac lantarcarved pumpkin
Cite this entry
jack-o'-lantern. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jack-o'-lantern
“jack-o'-lantern.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jack-o'-lantern. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jack-o'-lantern,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jack-o'-lantern.
Source: jack-o'-lantern on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.