jack-a-lantern
Definition
Noun: 1. A large, poisonous mushroom (Amanita muscaria var. guessowii): A fungus characterized by an orange or yellow cap, narrow white gills that may glow faintly in the dark (are luminescent), and a clustered stalk. It is toxic and should not be eaten. 2. A carved pumpkin lantern: A hollowed-out pumpkin with a face carved into it, illuminated from within by a candle or light, traditionally associated with Halloween.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Mushroom):
- While hiking, we spotted a bright orange jack-a-lantern growing at the base of the pine tree.
- It's crucial to distinguish an edible chanterelle from the poisonous jack-a-lantern mushroom.
- Noun (Pumpkin Lantern):
- The children carved a scary face into the pumpkin to make a jack-a-lantern.
- On Halloween night, the porch was decorated with a glowing jack-a-lantern.
Advanced Usage
- The term can be hyphenated (jack-a-lantern), written as one word (jack-o'-lantern), or as a phrase (jack o' lantern). The "o'" is a contraction of "of," stemming from the original term "Jack of the lantern."
- In folklore, a jack-o'-lantern can also refer to the phenomenon of will-o'-the-wisp, a mysterious light seen over marshes.
Variants and Related Words
- Jack-o'-lantern: The more common spelling for the Halloween decoration.
- Omphalotus illudens: The scientific name for the poisonous "jack-o'-lantern" mushroom known for its bioluminescent gills.
- Pumpkin lantern: A descriptive synonym for the carved decoration.
Synonyms
- For the mushroom: False chanterelle, glowing mushroom (informal).
- For the decoration: Carved pumpkin, Halloween lantern.
Related Idioms
- To be like a jack-o'-lantern: To have a wide, grinning, or hollowed-out appearance.
- After he lost his teeth, his smile was like a jack-o'-lantern.
Noun
-
a large poisonous agaric with orange caps and narrow clustered stalks; the gills are luminescent
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