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yellow jacket
noun
plural yellow jackets
1
or yellowjacket
ˈye-lō-ˌja-kət
plural yellowjackets
: any of various small vespid wasps (genus Vespula and Dolichovespula) typically with abdomens marked with yellow and black that build nests in the ground or less commonly in aerial locations (such as the eaves of buildings), that usually reach a length of up to .5 inches (1.3 centimeters), and that can sting repeatedly and painfully
ˈye-lə-
2
slang
: pentobarbital especially in a yellow capsule
—usually used in plural
Examples of yellow jacket in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pitt, on the other hand, went for an all-yellow look, wearing a yellow jacket over a white shirt, along with flared yellow trousers and black sunglasses.
—Lori A Bashian Fox News, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2024
In a scene out of biblical end-times, yellow jackets swarmed in the days after the storm — displaced after falling trees and floodwaters destroyed their nests.
—Kim Dinan, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
The surge of stings from yellow jackets, bees and other insects has prompted the state health department to buy Benadryl and epinephrine injections as aid groups also work to acquire the medications and get them to those in the affected areas.
—Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 6 Oct. 2024
The Summary Flooding in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene has led to swarms of yellow jackets.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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Cite this Entry
“Yellow jacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellow%20jacket. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
yellow jacket
noun
: any of various small social wasps with yellow markings that commonly nest in the ground and can sting repeatedly and painfully
Medical Definition
yellow jacket
noun1
or yellowjacket
: any of various small, social wasps (genus Vespula and Dolichovespula of the family Vespidae) typically with abdomens marked with yellow and black that build nests in the ground or less commonly in aerial locations (as the eaves of buildings), that aggressively defend their nests, and that can sting repeatedly and painfully
2
slang
: pentobarbital especially in a yellow capsule
—usually used in plural
More from Merriam-Webster on yellow jacket
Nglish: Translation of yellow jacket for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about yellow jacket
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