jackal

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The word "jackal" is Persian, and the jackal is allied to the dog, the wolf, and the fox.

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Definitions (7)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun Any of several doglike mammals of the genus Canis of Africa and southern Asia that are mainly foragers feeding on plants, small animals, and occasionally carrion.
  2. noun An accomplice or a lackey who aids in the commission of base or disreputable acts.
  3. noun One who performs menial tasks for another.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (50)

  • Date: Thursday, March 5th, 2009 Time: 11: 01 pm Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in Egyptian mythology., —  Moviehole
  • A jackal is still a jackal, even if he wears a sheep's clothing. —  missing links
  • Anubis is usually portrayed as half-jackal (top), half-human (bottom).
  • We were talking about lions; it is an old-received opinion, that the jackal is the lion's provider; it would be a more correct one to say that the lion is the Bushman's provider Indeed I once asked a Bushman, `How do you live?' —  The Mission; or Scenes in Africa
  • It is true the jackal is a wolf in every respect, but only a small one; and there is no true wolf in Africa of the large kind, such as the gaunt robber of the Pyrenees, or his twin brother of America. —  The Bush Boys History and Adventures of a Cape Farmer and his Family
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This word has been looked up 114 times.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Turkish chakāl, from Persian shaghāl, from Middle Indic shagāl, from Sanskrit śṛgālaḥ.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Old French jackal, jakal, French chacal (later Italian sciacal = G.Danish Swedish schakal = Dutch jakhals) = Spanish chacal = Portuguese chacal, jacal = Turkish Chaqāl, from Arabic jaqāl (usually wāwi or ibn āwi), from Persian shaghāl, a jackal; cf. Sanskrit çrigāla, a jackal, a fox.
 

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/ˈdʒækɔl/
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