|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
jackal
jackal name for several Old World carnivorous mammals of the genus Canis, which also includes the dog and the wolf . Jackals are found in Africa and S Asia, where they inhabit deserts, grasslands, and brush country. They are similar in size to the North American prairie wolf, or coyote , and like the coyote, they howl and yap before the evening hunt. Renowned as scavengers, jackals also hunt small animals such as rodents and gazelle fawns. Pairs generally mate for life; they forage by night and spend the day in holes or with a litter hidden in brush. The black-backed jackal, Canis mesomelas, the simian jackal, C. simensis, and the side-striped jackal, C. adustus, are found only in Africa; they are territorial and form complex social groups. The golden, or Asian, jackal, C. aureus, is found in S Asia and parts of N Africa; they usually hunt in small packs. Jackals are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, family Canidae.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"jackal." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "jackal." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-jackal.html "jackal." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-jackal.html |
|
jackal
jackal the jackal was traditionally supposed to go in front of the lion and hunt up prey for him, and from this was called the lion's provider.
The name is recorded in English from the early 17th century; by the end of the century, it was used to denote a person seen as behaving like a jackal, especially one in a subservient relation to another. More recently, it has acquired connotations of cunning and treachery. |
|
|
Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "jackal." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "jackal." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-jackal.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "jackal." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-jackal.html |
|
jackal
jack·al / ˈjakəl/ • n. a slender, long-legged wild dog (genus Canis) that feeds on carrion, game, and fruit and often hunts cooperatively, found in Africa and southern Asia. Four species include the black-backed jackal (C. mesomelas). |
|
|
Cite this article
"jackal." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "jackal." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-jackal.html "jackal." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-jackal.html |
|
jackal
|
|
|
Cite this article
"jackal." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "jackal." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-jackal.html "jackal." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-jackal.html |
|
jackal
jackal XVII. — Turk. çakal — Pers. ŝaġāl, rel. to Skr. śrgālá-.
|
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "jackal." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "jackal." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-jackal.html T. F. HOAD. "jackal." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-jackal.html |
|
jackal
jackal (Canis) See CANIDAE.
|
|
|
Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "jackal." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "jackal." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-jackal.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "jackal." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-jackal.html |
|
jackal
jackal •cackle, crackle, grackle, hackle, jackal, mackle, shackle, tackle
•ankle, rankle
•Gaskell, mascle, paschal
•tabernacle • ramshackle
•débâcle, diarchal, matriarchal, monarchal, patriarchal, sparkle
•rascal
•deckle, freckle, heckle, Jekyll, shekel, speckle
•faecal (US fecal), treacle
•chicle, fickle, mickle, nickel, pickle, prickle, sickle, strickle, tickle, trickle
•besprinkle, crinkle, sprinkle, tinkle, twinkle, winkle, wrinkle
•fiscal
•laical, Pharisaical
•vehicle • stoical • cubicle • radical
•medical, paramedical
•Druidical, juridical, veridical
•syndical
•methodical, periodical, rhapsodical, synodical
•Talmudical • graphical • pontifical
•magical, tragical
•strategical
•alogical, illogical, logical
•dramaturgical, liturgical, metallurgical, surgical
•anarchical, hierarchical, monarchical, oligarchical
•psychical
•angelical, evangelical, helical
•umbilical • biblical • encyclical
•diabolical, follicle, hyperbolical, symbolical
•dynamical, hydrodynamical
•academical, agrochemical, alchemical, biochemical, chemical, petrochemical, photochemical, polemical
•inimical • rhythmical • seismical
•agronomical, anatomical, astronomical, comical, economical, gastronomical, physiognomical
•botanical, Brahmanical, mechanical, puritanical, sanicle, tyrannical
•ecumenical
•geotechnical, pyrotechnical, technical
•clinical, cynical, dominical, finical, Jacobinical, pinnacle, rabbinical
•canonical, chronicle, conical, ironical
•tunicle • pumpernickel • vernicle
•apical • epical
•atypical, prototypical, stereotypical, typical
•misanthropical, semi-tropical, subtropical, topical, tropical
•theatrical
•chimerical, clerical, hemispherical, hysterical, numerical, spherical
•calendrical
•asymmetrical, diametrical, geometrical, metrical, symmetrical, trimetrical
•electrical • ventricle
•empirical, lyrical, miracle, panegyrical, satirical
•cylindrical
•ahistorical, allegorical, categorical, historical, metaphorical, oratorical, phantasmagorical, rhetorical
•auricle • rubrical • curricle
•classical, fascicle, neoclassical
•farcical • vesicle
•indexical, lexical
•commonsensical, nonsensical
•bicycle, icicle, tricycle
•paradoxical • Popsicle • versicle
•anagrammatical, apostatical, emblematical, enigmatical, fanatical, grammatical, mathematical, piratical, prelatical, problematical, sabbatical
•impractical, practical, syntactical, tactical
•canticle
•ecclesiastical, fantastical
•article, particle
•alphabetical, arithmetical, heretical, hypothetical, metathetical, metical, parenthetical, poetical, prophetical, reticle, synthetical, theoretical
•dialectical
•conventicle, identical
•sceptical (US skeptical) • testicle
•analytical, apolitical, critical, cryptanalytical, diacritical, eremitical, geopolitical, hypercritical, hypocritical, political, socio-political, subcritical
•deistical, egoistical, logistical, mystical, papistical
•optical, synoptical
•aeronautical, nautical, vortical
•cuticle, pharmaceutical, therapeutical
•vertical • ethical • mythical • clavicle
•periwinkle • lackadaisical
•metaphysical, physical, quizzical
•whimsical • musical
•Carmichael, cervical, cycle, Michael
•unicycle • monocycle • motorcycle
•cockle, grockle
•corncockle • snorkel
•bifocal, focal, local, univocal, varifocal, vocal, yokel
•archducal, coucal, ducal, pentateuchal
•buckle, chuckle, knuckle, muckle, ruckle, suckle, truckle
•peduncle, uncle
•parbuckle • carbuncle • turnbuckle
•pinochle • furuncle • honeysuckle
•demoniacal, maniacal, megalomaniacal, paradisiacal, zodiacal
•manacle • barnacle • cenacle
•binnacle • monocle • epochal
•reciprocal
•coracle, oracle
•spectacle
•pentacle, tentacle
•receptacle • obstacle • equivocal
•circle, encircle
•semicircle
|
|
|
Cite this article
"jackal." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "jackal." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-jackal.html "jackal." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-jackal.html |
|