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
Dixon, who was wearing a bright yellow jacket, drove away while the officer tried to stop him.
—
Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Detectives recovered surveillance images from the bar that showed a suspect wearing a bright yellow jacket, a hat and glasses, and driving a white BMW.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Williams appeared at the close of the show in a reflective snakeskin pale yellow jacket and pale green toned flared pants.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026
In the clip, employees dressed in bright orange and yellow jackets can be seen playing in the snow as snowflakes fall from the sky onto the already thick layer on the ground.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for yellow jacket
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Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Detectives recovered surveillance images from the bar that showed a suspect wearing a bright yellow jacket, a hat and glasses, and driving a white BMW.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Williams appeared at the close of the show in a reflective snakeskin pale yellow jacket and pale green toned flared pants.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026
In the clip, employees dressed in bright orange and yellow jackets can be seen playing in the snow as snowflakes fall from the sky onto the already thick layer on the ground.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for yellow jacket
Cite this Entry
“Yellow jacket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellow%20jacket. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical 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
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