jackal

Definition

Any of certain wild canids of the genera Lupulella and Canis, native to the tropical Old World and smaller than a wolf.

Etymology

From French chacal, chacale, checale, schakal, ciacale, from Turkish çakal, from Persian شغال (šaġâl), borrowed from Sanskrit शृगाल (śṛgāla, “jackal”).

Example Sentences

• "In passing, it also mentions how the jackal and the tiger acquired their reddish spots. All of the animals referred to, except the deer, have tricksterlike personalities, both in this tale and in other story contexts. But the jackal is the most renowned of all for roguishness."
• "Until recently, scientists thought Ethiopian wolves were a type of jackal. They gave Ethiopian wolves names like Semien jackal, Simenian jackal, or Ethiopian jackal."
• "As we will see, the jackal is usually associated in the Indic context with death and impurity, and would therefore sit squarely at the bottom of Dumont's social hierarchy."