jack a lantern

/ˈdʒæk ə ˌlæntərn/
noun
  1. A pumpkin that has been hollowed out and carved with a face, usually lit with a candle inside, used especially at Halloween.
    • The children admired the glowing jack-a-lanterns lining the street.
    • Every Halloween, we carve a jack-a-lantern and put it on the front porch.
    • She scooped out the pumpkin seeds to make a jack-a-lantern for the party.
  2. A strange or flickering light seen over marshy ground, thought to be caused by burning gases; also called will-o'-the-wisp.
    • Hikers sometimes mistake a jack-a-lantern for a lantern in the distance.
    • In the fog, the eerie glow looked like a jack-a-lantern floating above the marsh.
    • The old legend says a jack-a-lantern leads travelers into the swamp.
What does "jack a lantern" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean