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
Assembled ancient genomes from both fossils and compared those to genomes of living animals, such as wolves, jackals and foxes.
—
Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2025
The team compared the genomes with those of living canids such as wolves, jackals and foxes to identify the genetic variants for traits specific to dire wolves, such as white coats and longer, thick fur.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
The Ethiopian wolf, also known as the red jackal, is one of the world’s rarest canines as well as Africa’s most endangered carnivore.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Nov. 2024
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Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2025
The team compared the genomes with those of living canids such as wolves, jackals and foxes to identify the genetic variants for traits specific to dire wolves, such as white coats and longer, thick fur.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
The Ethiopian wolf, also known as the red jackal, is one of the world’s rarest canines as well as Africa’s most endangered carnivore.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for jackal
Cite this Entry
“Jackal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackal. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jackal
noun
jack·al
ˈjak-əl 
-ˌȯl
: any of several wild dogs of Africa and Asia like but smaller than the related wolves
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