jackal English · revision 1886

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈd͡ʒækəl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|tr|çakal]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|fa|شغال|tr=šaġāl]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) related to [[sa|शृगाल|tr=śṛgāla|t=jackal]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) literally “the howler”.^(Etymonline) Barnhart explains the English ''j-'' as a misinterpretation of the initial sound;^(Barnhart 1995) Random House sees association with [[jack]].^(RHWU) Etymonline says it came through French ''chacal''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A doglike animal of Asia and Africa, about the size of a fox (1603).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The figurative sense of a person who does drudgery or base work for another dates from the 17th century (before 1688),^(OED 1989) from the old belief that jackals stirred up game for lions.^(Etymonline) The verb, to play the jackal, is recorded from 1900.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1603 – the animal.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * before 1688 – a person doing drudgery for another.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1900 – verb, to do drudgery.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of several doglike wild [[canid|alt=canids]] of Africa and southern Asia that feed on plants, small animals and [[carrion]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An [[accomplice]] or [[lackey]] who helps another in base or dishonest acts.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who does menial tasks for another.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[jack]]

+ * [[coyote]]

+ * [[wolf]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}