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jackal

2 syllables
Quick answer

As a noun, jackal means any of certain wild canids of the genera Lupulella and Canis, native to the tropical Old World and smaller than a wolf. As a verb, it means perform menial or routine tasks.

Meanings of jackal

11 meanings

noun

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

  2. A person who performs menial/routine tasks, a dogsbody.

  3. derogatoryA person who behaves in an opportunistic way; especially a base collaborator.

  4. rugby unionA player who steals the ball at the tackle.

  5. Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog; smaller than a wolf; sometimes hunts in a pack but usually singly or as a member of a pairanimal

  6. A jackal native to Europe and Asia with a golden coatanimal

    Similar: Canis aureus, golden jackal
  7. A jackal native to Africa with a black backanimal

    Similar: Canis mesomelas, black-backed jackal
  8. A jackal native to Southern Africa with a stripe down its sideanimal

    Similar: Canis adustus, side-striped jackal
  9. A canid living in the deserts of Northern Africa related to the golden jackal and the grey wolfanimal

    Similar: Canis anthus, African golden wolf, Egyptian jackal, grey jackal
Older and rare meanings (1)
  1. slangrareA jack (the playing card).

verb

  1. To perform menial or routine tasks

Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).

Synonyms by meaning

All synonyms for jackal →
noun: a jackal native to Europe and Asia with a golden coat
Canis aureusgolden jackal
noun: a jackal native to Africa with a black back
Canis mesomelasblack-backed jackal
noun: a jackal native to Southern Africa with a stripe down its…
Canis adustusside-striped jackal
noun: a canid living in the deserts of Northern Africa related …
Canis anthusAfrican golden wolfEgyptian jackalgrey jackal

Words that rhyme with jackal

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