1. 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 pair
   "The jackal scavenged for food on the outskirts of the village"
    
2. A jackal native to Europe and Asia with a golden coat
   "Golden jackals have expanded their range into Western Europe";
   - Canis aureus, golden jackal
    
3. A jackal native to Africa with a black back
   "The black-backed jackal is a common sight in African game reserves";
   - Canis mesomelas, black-backed jackal
    
4. A jackal native to Southern Africa with a stripe down its side
   "The side-striped jackal is more commonly seen at dusk";
   - Canis adustus, side-striped jackal
    
5. A canid living in the deserts of Northern Africa related to the golden jackal and the grey wolf
   "The African golden wolf was once thought to be a subspecies of golden jackal"; "The grey jackal hunted small prey in the Sahara";
   - Canis anthus, African golden wolf, Egyptian jackal, grey jackal

Derived forms: jackals

Type of: canid, canine

Part of: Canis, genus Canis

Encyclopedia: Jackal