Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

jack-o'-lantern

/ˈdʒæk.oʊˌlæn.təɹn/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.57 in modern English

Syllables
jack-o'-lan-tern
IPA
/ˈdʒæk.oʊˌlæn.təɹn/
25
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
2
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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.

noun

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.

noun

A will o' the wisp.

Archaic

Example Sentences

Etymology

Originally, a night watchman who carried a lantern (originally made from a turnip; see neep lantern).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.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈdʒæk.oʊˌlæn.təɹn/
  • British English: /ˈdʒæk.əʊˌlæn.tən/

Usage

Inflected Forms

jack-o'-lanterns (plural) jack-o-lantern (alternative) jack o'lantern (alternative)

Synonyms

ignis fatuus hinkypunk Joan the wad hobby lantern peg-a-lantern Will the Smith Pinket Will o' the Wikes Jack-with-a-lantern

Questions

How do you pronounce jack-o'-lantern?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈdʒæk.oʊˌlæn.təɹn/.
What does jack-o'-lantern mean?
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.
Where does jack-o'-lantern come from?
Originally, a night watchman who carried a lantern (originally made from a turnip; see neep lantern).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.

How to pronounce jack-o'-lantern

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “jack-o'-lantern”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈdʒæk.oʊˌlæn.təɹn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “jack-o'-lantern”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “jack-o'-lantern” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.