jackal — A wild dog-like animal that hunts in packs and feeds on carrion
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A wild dog-like animal that hunts in packs and feeds on carrion
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈdʒækəl/
Example Sentences
- My roommate is such a jackal - he always finishes the leftovers I was saving!
- The documentary showed jackals working together to hunt larger prey.
- Don't trust him - he's a political jackal who only cares about his own benefit.
jackal
NOUN[/ˈdʒækəl/]
A wild dog-like animal that hunts in packs and feeds on carrion
Pack hunting wild dog scavenger
The fiscal rascal jackal!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word jackal derives from Turkish çakal, which passed through French as chacal before entering English. This term originated in the Middle East and Africa as a regional name for the wild canine, eventually spreading to European languages through trade and cultural contact.
Breakdown
Turkish çakal → French chacal → English jackal. The phonetic shift from initial 'ç' (Turkish voiceless palatal fricative) to 'ch' in French and finally to 'j' in English reflects typical Romance language sound changes and English's adoption patterns of borrowed animal names.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My roommate is such a jackal - he always finishes the leftovers I was saving!”
“The documentary showed jackals working together to hunt larger prey.”
“Don't trust him - he's a political jackal who only cares about his own benefit.”
“The jackals waited patiently for the lions to finish their meal.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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