jackal

noun

jack·​al ˈja-kəl 

 also  -ˌkȯl

1

: any of several small omnivorous canids (such as Canis aureus) of Africa and Asia having large ears, long legs, and bushy tails

2

a

: a person who performs routine or menial tasks for another

b

: a person who serves or collaborates with another especially in the commission of base acts

Examples of jackal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Roving like hungry jackals, smallmouth bass will move down and along drop-offs, hunting for the holdout crayfish, leeches, and insects along their way. —Kubie Brown, Outdoor Life, 3 Oct. 2024

The board has two parallel sets of 29 holes, and players use 10 small sticks with either jackal or dog heads, similar to the board and pegs of cribbage. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 16 Sep. 2024

Janney, who won the most Emmys as a cast member on the show, played C.J. Cregg, the jackal dancing press secretary who eventually becomes Chief of Staff. —Peter White, Deadline, 15 Sep. 2024

This luxe property sits inside Kanha National Park, a tiger reserve that is also home to jackals and wild pigs. —Catherine Garcia, theweek, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Turkish çakal, from Persian shaqāl, of Indo-Aryan origin; akin to Sanskrit sṛgāla jackal

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

jackal

noun

jack·​al ˈjak-əl 

-ˌȯl

: any of several wild dogs of Africa and Asia like but smaller than the related wolves