Jack-a-Lent

noun

ˈjak-ə-ˌlent How to pronounce Jack-a-Lent (audio)
1
: a small stuffed puppet set up to be pelted for fun in Lent
2
: a simple or insignificant person

Word History

Etymology

jack entry 1 + a (of) + Lent

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Jack-a-Lent was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near Jack-a-Lent

jackalegs

Jack-a-Lent

jackalope

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Jack-a-Lent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Jack-a-Lent. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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